Summer life

My summer has fallen into a routine. Monday-Thursday and sometimes Friday for four hours I nanny. I take the subway from Queens to Grand Central, then hop on the Metro-North Railroad to Bronxville. To sum up Bronxville it's the millionaire's suburbia. It was actually recently featured on "The Real Housewives of New York City," fancy I know. Nannying consists of hanging out with an amazing two year old girl all day since her brother gets picked up for summer camp every morning around 9. We have music class, dance parties, and go to the park. It's so nice to get out of the city everyday and play in a house with a front and back yard and have access to a car. I didn't realize how much I miss driving.  I have a lot of freedom nannying and it's so nice. I hear horror stories from friends nannying in Long Island and the Upper East Side. I love my family and feel so lucky to have found them.

When I am not nannying I'm either trying to get through my online spanish class or I'm at the beach. I never thought of NYC and the beach, but I went last week and it is SO easy to get to. Its just a short trip on the Long Island Rail Road and you arrive in Long Beach, which is white sand and warm water. It was amazing. I look forward to my Saturdays very much.

Last night at 125th st station

So I've heard that rats sometimes make it up to the subway platform where people stand but I have meet witnessed it for myself, until last night. I've made a sport out of looking for the rodents down on the tracks and I always try to think about how big they really are and would be if I were to be holding it. They are big. So last night I was leaving the Bronx and got to the Bronx hub for the subway (125th st) and was waiting to catch the express into manhattan and well... A EFFING HUGE rat started trotting along side me on the freakin platform! I had a 6 minute wait for the next train and survived but still felt like something was crawling on my leg all night long. Mom, be VERY happy you were not around. It didn't help being the only white chick in the station at the time I was such a wuss. Seriously though.. Welcome to the Bronx.


- Posted on the go from my iPhone

Graduation!

This last week I graduated from SUNY Cortland! It was a fabulous day really. The weather was perfect, I found some friends from Block 1 of my education classes to sit with, had amazing sushi with Dad, and a relaxing night at home with Mom and Step Dave. Also, Mom got me the dress of my dreams and it was perfect!

Also, graduation weekend was Dad's FIRST time coming to NYC! He's embarrassed when I tell people that so shhh. It was incredible! He flew in early and I met him at Penn Station. We went back to the Bronx to drop off his luggage, grab a bite to eat at a diner and then headed into Manhattan. We were able to go to Grand Central Station, the apple store there, the Empire State Building, grab a bite of pizza on the street, visit my first placement PS 19, visit wall street, see the charging bull, the ferry to the statue of liberty, the 9/11 memorial, have dinner at the seinfield restaurant, walk around columbia campus, see the LDS NYC temple, walk around Lincoln Center, sneak into the 2nd half of an opera, and grab some hot chocolate in Times Square! That was just the first day! The second day we went to the apple store on 5th Ave, Rockefeller Center, met the man I'm nannying for this summer, and visited my 2nd placement at PS 212. It was a very busy weekend to say the least.

We took a train upstate for graduation and came back down the day after. We were able to walk through central park and the met before driving to Tyler and Kim's for dinner before Dad had to catch his flight. I think I got him there 35 minute before take off. We literally used every minute to its fullest!

I packed up most of my things in the Bronx the day after Dad left and headed back upstate to drop it all off at Moms. I was able to spend a couple of days there organizing my room, deciding what to keep and what to throw out. Its weird, after graduating I actually feel different. Birthdays come and go and I never really feel different, but after walking I actually FEEL older and more accomplished.

As for now I will start nannying this next week while I look for an apartment in Manhattan. I can't wait to spend my summer and next year in the city! It's starting to feel like home and I'm sad when I'm not here.

Syracuse and Teaching Certificate!

Two weeks ago was spring break for New York schools. It was incredible to have some time to sleep in and catch up with some things. My mom came to the city to spend Easter with me and I had some time to go back to Syracuse and spend the other weekend at her house. I was able to take my friend Zachary with me because we both needed to get out of the city and around some nature. We were able to spend both days outside on hikes, and drives in the country. Also, we went by the store I used to work at, J Michaels, and see some old friends. It was so nice to spend time at home eating home cooked meals, driving my car again, and playing games with my mom and step dave. It really was such a refreshing weekend.

As for student teaching I continue to love my class. I am in a fifth grade class and the kids are brilliant. They amaze me everyday with how hard they work and the insight they have with different lessons. I have currently been teaching a writing unit on how to write a literary essay. It should all come together in the next week and in two weeks we will have a publishing party! I'm nervous with how everything will end up, but I think these kids will just continue to blow my mind (keeping my fingers crossed).

I only have three more weeks until I graduate, which is kinda insane. I spent two days this week traveling to interview for different nanny positions. One is up north of the Bronx, and the other was out on Long Island past Queens. Both positions have their pros and cons and I really have to consider all the options before I decide on one. It's crazy to think how different my life can be in just 2 months from now! I'm so excited!

Yesterday, I completed my final test to earn my NYS teaching certificate! I was a little tired but I think I did well and passed. I should know in about a month :) Ahhh! I can't believe this process is finally over!

Well, it's Sunday and that means I get to spend the day cooking, cleaning, lesson planning, and catching up with blogs :) It's a little rainy here in the city today, which makes staying in and getting things done that much more enjoyable. I love it when it rains in the city.

Hike to Chittenango Falls

Zachary and Me @ Green Lakes

Step Dave and Mom @ Green Lakes

Lucy @ Green Lakes

Easter in the City!

Brooklyn Bridge for the first time ever with Mom!

Amazing Indian food on Easter's Eve!

Momma bought me beautiful flowers for the apartment! Mmm 

Park Ave.

Easter Parade

Me and my new cute friend Zachary

Rockefeller Center

Mom and me outside of my school

holy busy.

I've been SO bad at blogging. Looking through my day planner I can sorta see why this hasn't been top priority. I've been trying to figure out summer work, school, housing, etc. I've finished my first placement in the third grade and was so upset. I feel in love with those kids and miss them everyday. I have recently been placed in a fifth grade class in Times Square. It's amazing and the class is incredibly gifted and mostly at or above grade level. I'm already teaching at least two lessons a day. New kids comes with new germs. I'm already suffering from a sore throat. Ouch.

Short film for your weekend

I am leaving town for the weekend and wanted to leave you with a short video. I hope you like it, it's one of my favorites. What we can learn from children amazes me.