A SWEDEN HERE WE COME!!!!:)

So I tried to keep this a surprise as long as possible, but getting in touch with some of you is freakin difficult with a 10 1/2 hour time difference and busy schedules as it is!! BUT I'm just gonna go ahead and say it anyways, enough waiting around!!! The Swedish flag on here represents SWEDEN and the country I am going to visit AFTER I get done with my Paavo Nurmi Marathon in Finland!!!!!!!!! It's only 10 euros by Viking Ferry to travel from Turku, Finland to Stockholm, Sweden!!! An opportunity I just can't pass up for such a great price!! AND as of Saturday I am officially booked for the "Best Hostel Old Town Skeppsbron" in Stockholm, Sweden for 5 nights!!!! SO IT'S HAPPENING!!! Seriously the idea of hostels is an amazing one!!! Makes traveling so much cheaper and that more fun!!! Get to meet new people and hear their stories while you try and get some sleep with 5 other people in the room!!!! THUS, overall my trip will officially now be from June 25th (Friday) to July 10th (Saturday)!!! I will be in Finland from June 25th - July 4th (taking a day ferry to Stockholm on July 4th) and then will be in Sweden from July 4th - July 10th (when I depart from the Stockholm airport)!!!:) And in ALL of that chaos I will be running a marathon on July 3rd!!!:) HECK YES TO THIS SUMMER!!!! I think the most exciting part (besides the marathon of course) will be the ability to rent a BICYCLE and bike around Finland and Sweden!!!! Cause both hostels come equipped with rent-able bikes!! Now in Sweden I'm not sure how much biking I will be doing on Monday and possibly Tuesday after just running a marathon, but definitely in Finland and the latter part of the week in Sweden it will be all biking!!:) Since I've had SO much opportunity to do it here so far!!! Which is one of my goals for next year is to either buy a bicycle overseas and ship it in, OR buy a bike from Dehradun!!! Either or I will be biking by next Spring!!! Well now you know why Sweden's flag was on my blog with ???????!!!:) This summer will be AMAZING!!! I don't know how the next summer will top that!!! Maybe a 2 week trek at 20,000ft in the Himalayas!!!! WHO KNOWS!!!!!! But for sure a marathon a summer will have to continue!! Not since 2006 have I not ran one in the summer!! And last summer it was 2, and as Jon said, NEVER doing that again so close together!!!:) OUCH!! Hope everyone has a FANTASTIC Sunday and HAPPY SMILING!!!!

I'm ROBERT GOOOOOOOOOOULET!!!!! WHAT??!! GOULET!!!

I miss Robert Goulet!!! He just had to die and take that beautiful voice with him!!!! WHAT?!?! WHAT DID  YOU SAY?!?! GOULET!!!!!!!:) Holy schnikee what a WEEK it has been!!! FIRST FULL WEEK OF SCHOOL!!!! Every morning (except Friday, I'll explain that shortly) I've been waking up at 5am ready to run my butt off getting ready for Finland!!! It truly is an energy boost and runners high after those runs!!! I HIGHLY suggest a nice morning run!!! ALSO, since breakfast is the BEST meal ever, it gives you that much more incentive to eat a crap load more of breakfast!!!:) Besides the running I'm finding that it is VERY true that once you've found a routine, after 2 months, to stay with that routine is quite easy!! I've always had problems of going about 1 1/2 months of AWESOME weight room/running, but then I stick with just the running and get out of the routine of weight room as well!! BUT, not this time!!! Got a wonderful routine of running from 5-6am, then 6:20-8am it's weight room!!!! Been doing that since the gym opened back in October!! Granted over break didn't get in the fitness room as much, but still did the push-ups and sit-ups at home or on the trail, in my plethora of hikes, since my MAIN one didn't work out!!! Which I've found a lot of staff around here who I didn't talk to about that have found out about the massive disappointment that was the Chadar Trek!!:) AWESOME!! Also, establishing a routine got me away from my up and down days which I had last semester or as Nicole wonderfully stated my "bi-polar" days!! THANK YOU FOR THAT!!:) My body has now adjusted to the crazy intense workout days, and the day after I have them there is no "let-down" in energy level!! The energy level is STILL THERE and it feels AMAZING!!!:) Granted I'm sore as crap but that's only my muscles!!!! I've also become very addicted to cross-training exercises!! Exercises that work out a numerous amount of muscles at the same time, AND adds cardio to it as well!!! I find weights are nice, but the cross-training exercises are far more oriented with life situations!! I tend to find I do a LOT more jumping around (on people sometimes) then I do sitting down pressing a weight with my legs!!:) Oh and if you're sick of most of my blogs this year (2010) being about exercising and running, well then I'd quit now cause this is basically my life, and what it will be for the next however long I have on this earth!!! Live what you teach, don't ever forget that!! Musicians talk about music, Englishians talk about books, scientistians talk about the earth and whatever else is scientific!! PEians talk about staying fit, healthy, and having a LIFEtime of fitness!!!:) Adding on to my very active week I took my very first TaeKwonDoe class Wednesday night for staff night!! Found out 2 things, you are CONSTANTLY flexing your abdominals the entire time, GREAT ab workout, and the second is I already have troubles understanding Hindi, add Japanese to that as well!! Mahinder, my friend/staff at Woodstock, TaeKwonDoe trainer is fluent in Hindi, knows little English!! WELL try taking a class that involves Hindi and Japanese!! FREAKIN CONFUSING!!:) Luckily I'm kinesthetic so I can pick up via watching and copying, but when he gives me the Japanese command I pretty much just guess!! 13% of the time ALL the time I'm right!!:) THEN after TaeKwonDoe there were still a couple of us around that we spent climbing on the climbing wall!!! Which of course lead into wheel barrow races, which lead into piggyback races in the main gym, which in fact lead to me wiping out face first on the floor and almost breaking my nose!!!:) It was an AWESOME night!! Hey Greg was on my back and we ALMOST had it, until I took one bad step which caused a lot more bad steps after that!! A smart person would have stopped and regained control, especially with someone like Greg on there back!! But no, I did the macho thing and kept going thinking I could regain control.....next thing I know my left leg gave out and like a tree being cut TIMBER!!! I head for the ground, luckily keeping my head back and up so I WOULDN'T land face first, and then laughed our butts off while Greg, who was on top of my still, and I crawled to the finish line WINNING by half the courts length!!!:) IN YOUR FACE LAURA AND MR. TANG!!!!:) THEN Friday morning, which I told you I would get back to (for shame you thought I would forget) for the first time in 7 months 13 days and at 2:07am my AA battery in my clock DIED!!! Rest in peace Duracell AA!!! Of course I was planning on waking up at 5am, THAT didn't happen!! I woke up in one of those PANIC awakenings at 7am and knew I missed my 6:30 shift at the gym, PLUS my morning exercise!! NOT COOL!!! BUT I did find out something amazing!! Usually when I do my runs/weight room mornings I am dead tired at school by 5pm!! WELL Friday, not doing my morning run obviously I was STILL dead tired by 5pm!! SO fact of the matter is I will be dead tired by 5pm, might as well wake up at 5am everyday anyways if I'm going to be tired at 5pm no matter what!!!:) EXPERIMENT COMPLETED!!!! Then on Saturday, being a B E AUTIFUL day out, went for a lovely 1hr 30min run around Mussoorie, came back and did some exercising on the Mt. Hermon lawn IN THE SUN!! Then stretched, which lead to an amazing hour nap in the sun on my towel on the lawn!!!! Can't beat that Saturday, OH WAIT YES YOU CAN!! THEN after awaking from my nap it was STAFF soccer time at 5pm!!!! We played for 2 1/2 hours of HARD NOSED soccer!! Needless to say we were ALL pooped like a chicken pooping an egg!! But I think that morning exercise had a little more effect on me than the others, cause we walked to the Farley's for dinner after that and I just crashed on the ground!!! Just laid there for a good 10 minutes, FELT really good!! THEN for dinner it was MEXICAN NIGHT!! YO QUIRO TORTILLAS AND FAJITAS!!!! WITH ALL AMERICAN INGREDIENTS FOR GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE (from my cousins for Christmas!!!)!!! AN AMAZING NIGHT!!! After dinner went back to laying on the floor for a while until the movie The Kid started playing!! HILARIOUS movie!!! Bruce Willis and that fat cute kid!!! Ironically stayed awake the entire time for it!! It was awesome!!!! Now on today, which will be consisted mostly in the bazaar, with the MAIN focus on BANK TRANSFERRING MONEY TO FINLAND FOR THE OFFICIAL SIGN UP OF THE PAVOO NURMI MARATHON!! HECK YES!!!!:) I hope everyone has a spectacularly AWESOME WEEKEND AND HAPPY SMILING!!!!:)

The trick of running at 5am!!!:)

So today was my first day of training!!! Not pre-pre-training, not pre-training, BUT ACTUAL TRAINING!!! And I was a little worried that I spent ALL my energy last night getting pumped up for this day, that 5am would come by and I'd hit the snooze 14 times and wake up at 6:20 instead!! WELL THAT NEVER HAPPENED!! I actually was alive and ready to go at 4:45, but of course waited for my alarm to go off!! Who gets up before 5am when they don't have to, COME ON!!!:) 5am comes by, alarm beeps: BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP!! I shut it off, and wouldn't you know it took maybe 3-4 minutes once out of bed to be ready to run mentally, and another 10 minutes physically (breakfast, dressed, etc.)!!! AND HERE'S THE TRICK!! Be warmer then the bed!!!!;) Think about it for a second, IF you count on your bed to keep you warm, then what's to keep you from staying in it when the really early alarms go off?!? Cause you'll start to peel off the covers and layers of blankets and feel that cold air hit you and BAM you're right in bed and say the famous line "5 more minutes!!" Which as we ALL know means 30-45 more!! If you have that time to spare!!! Well last night for the first time this winter, and remember winter in Mussoorie is NOTHING like winter in Minnesota, BUT for Mussoorie it was quite chilly last night, and without central heating I guess it may be equal to a Minnesota winter!! Anyways for the first time last night I wore my thermal long underwear, pj's on top, socks, long sleeve t-shirt, and sweatshirt!!! I was hot!! Literally and not metaphorically!! So when I put on the sheet and my 3/4 inch blanket it was the perfect temp!! Now usually I sleep with just pj pants, long sleeve t-shirt, and sweatshirt!! However, those thermals made all the difference!! When I woke up my muscles were already warm, I took off my covers and BAM cold did not effect me AT all, and listening to a little "Final Countdown" on the old i-pod never hurts either!!!;) Now some of you may be thinking, but Steve I'm not an easily warm sleeper like you, SO PUT ON ANOTHER 5 LAYERS THEN!! Do whatever it takes to make you warmer than the bed!!! Because if you are training for something, or have to do something early everyday of the week, every little trick and cheat you can find to get going in the morning will make life that much easier, and if you're training save on your mental anguish you go through during the hell weeks of training (which are pretty much all except the week before the event!!!:) Oh also, going to bed at a decent time DEFINITELY helps too!!!;) Can't be going to bed at midnight and waking up at 5am and expect to have that last long!! Your body is a machine and you have to treat it like one!! You can't drive a car without gas, so why would you try training for anything without proper sleep!! Yes, it will definitely cut into your social time a bit, but that's where you need to decide what sacrifices are you going to make!?!? In the long run is it worth it, no pun intended!!:) Your friends will be there after the race, and for your friends that have run one before, may even be a little jealous of your dedication and wished they had the same dedication you had when they trained for something!!! Life is short, so go and live it people!! Don't let 5am or cold ruin what could possibly be the most gratifying thing you've done in your life up to this point, besides having a baby for those that are parents!!;) It's a LOT easier to enjoy life, when you're filling it up with experiences, challenges, and completed goals!!! Heck if it wasn't for loving marathons, I don't think I'd even think of traveling to Finland this summer!! So yeah, look at the small benefits of that!!! Someone asked me, "What time of day is your favorite time?" And I said 5-6:30am, why?!? That's usually around the time of sunrise, and it's the MOST peaceful time of the day!!! You can think and think and think for hours without anyone being around to disturb you AND you get to use your night vision while running, cause there aint no sun that early!!!! Well that's all for tonight, and Day 1 training is in the books!! A quite SUCCESSFUL day if I may say so myself!!!!!!:) BOO and YEAH!!!! HAPPY RUNNING!!!!

The FIRST official day of training begins!!!!!:) Eye of the Tiger baby!!

Well I never thought this day would have came so quickly!! Training for an INTERNATIONAL marathon that is!!! The Paavo Nurmi Marathon in Turku, Finland will be my very first international marathon, and probably the most exciting one yet!! Besides my first Grandma's Marathon that is!! Nothing will EVER beat the sensation you get standing, waiting in anticipation of the starter's pistol to sound and BAM you start your very first marathon!! It was a combination of chills, goosebumps, anxiety, excitement, focus, nervousness, and a little gas mixed into one GREAT SENSATION!!!:) And I have a feeling, after not running a marathon in so long, that my first, especially being international, will revive those feelings once again!! Not that the marathons in Minnesota were getting dull, but they were all runs that I've seen before either via car, or out walking with a friend!! But NOW, a BRAND new setting, with probably 3/4th the field speaking to each other in Finnish!! That my friend will definitely bring the goosebumps back!! You could say the second to last marathon I ran in the states was my burnout marathon!! It was getting repetitive, the intensity and "eye of the tiger" was gone for that one!! Obviously my very last marathon in the states (GRANDMA'S!!) was full of fun and a different kind of energy!! But very little training for that one!!:) But now, the night before Day 1, as it begins ALL OVER AGAIN, the eye is back, anticipation is kicking in, and that thirst and hunger to do amazing at a marathon is back in the blood!! CAN YOU FEEL IT!!! WOOOOOOO!!!! IT'S BACK!!!!!:) YOU KNOW IT!!!!!!!!! And I have a feeling it will stay a lot LONGER this time!! Now that basically the entire world is open for options!! I can go West to Europe or Africa!! North to Russia, or East to Southeast Asia and Australia!! There will be a time when I go for 50 marathons in 50 states!! But for now, it's stamping up that passport and collecting those international finisher medals!!!:) Goals are amazing and powerful things to have!! I learned this Sophomore year of college when I trained for my very first long distance run: Grandma's Half Marathon!! After that I've been a goals oriented freak!! And you know what, it keeps you in shape, doesn't allow you to slack off, and keeps you on life's wonderful active track!!:) Of course assuming some of your goals are active ones!!! It's now time to tie up those shoe laces, strap on the watch, and squint those eyes ever so slightly in the mirror so it seems like you are one determined and TOUGH dude!!!:) Yeah, I know all of you have done that before!! Don't lie!! Hey it works!! Once you find your "Eye of the Tiger" you'll know exactly what I mean!! So let's begin this intense and hard working 18 week journey!!! Hope you enjoy reading about posts that have to do with a lot of running shout-outs!!! Cause I won't lie, life after tonight will be exactly that!! Live, breathe, do........RUNNING!!!!!:) HAPPY SMILING AND HAPPY EXERCISING EVERYONE!!!!!!! PAAVO NURMI MARATHON!!! JULY 3RD, 2010!!!! TURKU, FINLAND!!!! BRING......IT.....ON!!!!!:)

18 WEEKS BEGINS TOMORROW!!

My future for the next 5 years: WOODSTOCK!!!:) (Hopefully)

I don't know why I haven't posted this earlier!! Maybe because I wasn't too certain of what my future would hold and where I wanted to go with it, the reactions of some people back home, or I was freakin busy with school prep!! Anyways I've been thinking a LOT about the future, where I want to be in 5 years, and what are my options!! Yes I just started at Woodstock, but let me tell you 3 years goes a LOT faster than one would think!! I mean if I was on a 2 year contract with Woodstock I would already have to think about renewing it next Fall already!! So thinking ahead 5 years is probably the best thing to do right now!! As I've been thinking I've also been seeing!! Seeing the effects short term teacher's at Woodstock have on the students!! Not only emotionally but psychologically as well!! Basically trust with a teacher, through a student's eyes, is non-existent at  Woodstock and that's really really depressing to see!! You almost have to be there 10+ years to finally gain some trust!! But honestly I would be the same way if I was a student there and my teacher's left every 2 years for another teaching job!! I was talking to one of my classes at the end of last semester about teacher's leaving and I told them I have every intention of staying the 3 years!! What did I get in response, to my surprise BLANK STARES!! Thinking about it now, why would they be happy?! I'm not even done with 1 year, and they don't know if something will change in the next 1 or 2 years!! For example a PE teacher last year who I think had every intention in coming back to Woodstock after they left for summer, never came back the next year!! That was a single year with the students!! So again, when I briefly mentioned I was planning on staying my entire contract length (3 years) and their response was no emotion, I am not too shocked by that as this point!! Which brings me to the MAIN point of this entire blog!! Like I was mentioning in the beginning I have been thinking a LOT about the future and what it holds for me, and what I want to see out of it!! Well for those in Shako Tennis please don't kill me when I say this next bit, I plan on staying at Woodstock the 3 years PLUS 2 more (minimum)!! .................... Okay calmed down yet?!?!:) So yes that would put me for sure at 5 years minimum at Woodstock School, Mussoorie, INDIA!!! Now it's just not me saying oh I'm staying 5 years for the heck of it!! There are a PLETHORA of reasons!! Here are the top 5!!

Reason #1: STUDENTS/STAFF!! They desperately need staff retention, and even if a couple staff stay on for at least a couple years past their original 3 year contract that can bring some of the trust between teacher's and students back!! And the student's at Woodstock are AMAZING!!:) Why would you want to leave them after a short 1-2 years!!? Granted some may not have a choice, which is completely understandable!! Woodstock doesn't have the greatest paycheck, BUT if you're debt free and single it's the perfect place!!;) Thanks Dad and Mom, well for the debt free part not so much the single!!:) Also, from a PE perspective, we just built this INCREDIBLE gym and a re-building program with that, and since I LOVE being part of building a program (Shako Tennis:)) it's kinda my calling from God I believe to stay and help re-establish it with Ajay and see the kids grow with a growing PE program and curriculum!!!  Lastly, the diversity at Woodstock is a reason in itself to stay!! I've learned so much just from talking to my student's about their home country, or city if they're from India!! The stories of travels makes me extremely jealous a 6th grader has traveled around the world more than I have, but still fun to hear!!:) And the cool words you get to learn from different languages!! I'm not even going to attempt to spell any of the Korean words I've learned!!;) Plus the staff is such a close FAMILY it is amazing!!! In the first 2 weeks, all the new staff seemed to gel and become this tight closed family instantly!! AWESOME!!:) The enthusiasm for activity here is mind-blowing from a PE teacher's perspective!! So enthused to organize staff vs. staff games or staff vs. student games, go on hikes, or work out in the fitness room!!!:)

Reason #2: TRAVELING!!! I won't lie, but the cheap traveling opportunities from India to any country, besides the US and Australia, is amazing!! For example, like I said earlier I'm flying to Finland this summer for HALF the price it would if I was flying from Minneapolis!! And it's almost 1/3 the price traveling to Asia then from the US!! Not to mention traveling internally, INDIA, is the cheapest of all!! From Mussoorie to the southern most tip of India would only be $150-200 flying!! Probably $100 by train/bus!!:) And it's only $25 from Mussoorie to the HIMALAYA'S!! Now you cannot tell me that's not awesome in itself right there!! A MAJOR mountain range, with the HIGHEST peak in the world, can be traveled to for under $50!! Yeah, eat your heart out Martha Stewart!! Oh and I'm SINGLE!! No lame boring wife to drag around from country to country or try and negotiate a country to visit over break!!:) And with that comment I aint getting married anytime soon!!;)

Reason #3: EXPERIENCE!!! Teaching in a foreign country with a culture you are not familiar with at all when you arrive can be overwhelming for some!! BUT once you get settled, in a routine, and used to monkey's crawling all over the place free ranged the experiences you gain from teaching at Woodstock is PRICELESS!!! Going on hiking adventures with the students, eating dinner with them sometimes down at dorms, building close relationships with the students and staff you would NEVER be able to do in public schools back in the states!! Take that Janet Reno!! Also, being in such a unique school, in relation to a perfect location for hiking, the outdoor experience alone will be life changing!!:) I can go a mile and already be engulfed in a freakin jungle!! It's awesome!!

Reason #4: FAMILY/FRIENDS BACK HOME!!! Yes, you guys are definitely a reason I am staying an additional 2+ years!! Without you guys being so understanding and patient has made this entire adventure so much easier!! I've heard stories from other staff members who's family is not taking it so well that their son or daughter is in India!! Been very very blessed with VERY VERY understanding and open minded parents!! AND bonus I made them very jealous when I told them I got a job in India and get to see the world!!:) In your face!! Love you guys!!:) Also, being competitive with the sister in traveling and seeing the world, she can't have all the fun always getting to go to these countries!! I need to stay ahead of her!!:) And added bonus get to rub in her face of my pictures of the Himalayas and the hikes!! HA!! POINT BIG BROTHER!! In addition, when I first got here I was thinking oh man I'm going to miss so much with my friends not being home!! BUT, then I really thought about it and realized, HEY, they're moving on too!! They always won't be a phone call away!! Some move to North Carolina for college, Rhode Island for a job, across the seas for patriotic duty, etc!! Then I'd be sitting at home jealous of all you guys thinking MAN how sweet that would be to travel the world!! Now granted some also are settling down and would be a phone call away, which is very nice to know that when I get back you'll be right there back in that phone call distance away and we can catch up!!:) So with that being said, it's all YOUR fault I'm staying an extra couple of years!!;) Just kidding, but seriously without family and friends (you guys) back home being so amazing and understanding this would not have been such an easy decision to make!!

REASON #5: SINGLE!!!!!!! This is an advanced warning that in no way am I bashing those who got married during/right after college!! With that being said, it is AWESOME BEING SINGLE AFTER COLLEGE!! The world is basically your oyster and you are the pearl!! I don't know if that's a real saying or not, BUT it is now!!:) I loved when I left that 95% of you said this exact phrase, "You're single, now's the perfect time to do it!" Haha and it's so TRUE!! Being in a serious relationship after college would have DEFINITELY made this decision harder, and if I was married even harder cause we both would have had to get jobs at the same school!! I guess though, since we're looking for a female PE teacher, that if I would have married one we both could have gotten a job!! Even though that may have been wife overload!! Yeah definitely not getting married now with that comment for another 10 years!! No rush!!!:) So being single now and seeing NO relationships developing in the future (since I'm not looking/trying to start one) the choice of staying at least 5 years has no effect on my significant other!! And I'm assuming if I do find someone over here that she'll also love to travel!! COUNT IT!!!:)

With all that being said, obviously that is IF Woodstock even keeps me on after my 3 years are up, nothing is certain in that aspect!! I just hope they decide to extend my contract!! That would be amazing!!!:) But yes those are my 5 top main reasons why I am definitely going to stay 5 years, maybe more, at Woodstock!! Granted if I have the choice of staying!!:) And don't get me wrong God is definitely a factor here, but it's kinda the obvious one that can go without saying!! Besides the big man knows he's #1!! These are my next 5 main reasons!! For those that figured I would do a quick 3 and out and punt myself home, ummmm yeah sorry this isn't football anymore!! We have gone cricket!! And if you know cricket those games last FOREVER!!:) Literally one cricket game can last for 2 days!! YEAH 2 WHOLE DAYS!!! It's crazy!! There you have it, my inner most thoughts about the future and my decisions made so far!!! Miss you all back in Minnesota, WE ARE ONLY 320 DAYS AWAY BABY!!!!!!:) GET THOSE MEATBALLS AND POTATOES READY!!!!! Have a SPECTACULAR WEEKEND EVERYONE!!!

The rest of the reasons (short version):
-staying active is extremely easy here
-marathons grow on trees over here and are very inexpensive to do
-skype/internet allows keeping in touch so much easier than 10 years ago would have been
-mail, being away from home half way across the world for some reason inspires people to send mail often!!
-sending postcards from half way across the world is fun!
-away from TV AND MOVIES AND BEING LAZY!!
-new/old staff at Woodstock are awesome and have similar interests in life!!:)
-makes going home every 18 months very special and makes you appreciate family and friends that much more!!
-fun to tell friends/people who are complaining about life in the states "HEY!! Live in India and then complain about your life!!"
-it's fun to confuse friends when you say "I MAKE 20,000Rs a month!!!" Then follow that up by saying that's about $400!!:)

HAPPY SMILING!!!!!!!!!!:)

This just in...........

SCHOOL STARTS TOMORROW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

THAT IS ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:)

BACK TO SCHOOL!! TO PROVE TO DAD I'M NOT A FOOL!!!!!!!:)

IT'S THAT TIME AGAIN!!! Student's are arriving from a loooooooooong winter vacation today and tomorrow, teacher's have almost prepared their first 2 weeks of lessons, and the kitchen staff is ready for chaos once again, CAN YOU SMELL IT?!?! IT'S SCHOOL TIME!!!!:) Haven't been this excited to start school again since I arrived at Woodstock 6 months ago!! My lessons are almost all planned for the first 2 units, I've become more settled meaning I can relax and actually add some of my teaching personality into the lesson, AND going to give some devotions this year PLUS staff talent show!!! LOOK OUT WOODSTOCK!! Teacher's are ready to kick some major academia butt!!! Not to mention after the semester is over with a nice relaxing trip to FINLAND!!!!! These next 6 months are going to ROCK!!!! Oh and have I mentioned Woodstock's BIGGEST event is being hosted in April!! The Win Mumby Basketball Tournament!!! When I first looked over my job description it listed Win Mumby Tournament!! Now not being familiar with Win Mumby I interpreted it as win the Mumby tournament!! I was like, wow that's setting our goals kinda high!! No second place here!! AS IT TURNS OUT THOUGH, Win Mumby was a PE teacher back in the 40's and then worked for Coca Cola!!:) So that will be in April with 10 TEAMS visiting Woodstock and participating in our tournament!!! In addition to the Win Mumby Tourney, since I am assigned to Middle and Elementary school I will be in charge of the Elementary Sports Day!!! HECK YES TO THAT!!!:) Add some 3-legged races, shoe kicks, etc.!!! Oh and can't forget the EVER so important 7-legged staff races!! THAT'S RIGHT 7 LEGGED!!! 4 staff tied up together running 50 meters!! They are bound to fall and fail, which is why it will be so HI LARIOUS!!!:)

As for this past week at school it's been one common theme: MEETINGS, MEETINGS, and some MORE MEETINGS!!!:) We have BOTH our 5 year Strategic Master Plan and MSA process to finalize before this summer!!! MSA basically meaning our accreditation process as an international school!!! Also, add in some ITC (computer stuff) in betweens those 2!!! The ITC meetings have been VERY helpful!! And that's not sarcasm, they've had some pretty interesting stuff, like how Ubuntu is going to work (it's instead of Microsoft, rich jerks!!) and how to run a SMART board!!! IN ADDITION to the meetings this week was the first week of BACK INTO MARATHON TRAINING WEEK!!!! 6 out of the 7 days Mon-Fri and Sunday has been running, weight room, and Thursday/Sunday 2 hours of intense soccer!! Staff vs. Staff!!! Academia vs. Everyone Else!!! Not to BRAG or anything but Teacher's did come out with the "W" both times!! First night (Thur.) beating "The Others" 7-6!! And that was with a smaller bench!! OH YEAH!! And Sunday was complete destruction by the teacher's!! A BRUTAL 12-7 victory, and "The Other's" even had students who were VARSITY soccer players on their team!!! Not to mention we only had 1 SUB while "The Other's" had 3-4 at times!! Yeah teacher's are kinda amazing!!!:) So it's been a very ACTIVE/SITTING week!! A Ying/Yang week if you must!!! I'm thinking I would have gone crazy if I didn't have the runnings in the mornings!! One thing I can't stand is sitting!! I don't mind the content or discussion given, BUT the sitting!! OUCHERS!!!:) So that's about all I got for this posting!!! It's going to be a CARAZY couple of months coming up!!!! STAY TUNED!!!!!:)



p.s. today's picture themes are brought to you by Billy Madison (the creator of the song "Back to School") and the GREATEST MOTIVATOR OF MY GENERATION: Matt Foley!!!!!:)