Fate has spoken. The stars have aligned. I am taking a less-traveled road that will one day seem to have made all the difference, after all. A boarding school with a campus in Saratoga Springs and a campus in Spanish Fork has asked me to be their English teacher, beginning June 16th (the Europe trip once again being placed on hold). The students are at-risk girls, much like who I'm working with here in Arizona, and the school specializes in equine therapy....horse whispering or something akin. I'm going to be a real English teacher. Today is a gloriously sunny day. I'm to begin choosing texts immediately...I can teach whatever I want, whomever authors/poets I want, and during the summer, Friday is fieldtrip day and I can take them wherever I want. They've asked me to check out what plays are being performed in Cedar City this summer--I get to teach Shakespeare and then take my girls down to see the play in August.....this thrills me. I'm too blessed. I'm incredibly excited.
And I may be moving to Provo, God forbid it. My Provo readers need to give me an honest appraisal of the Utah county situation and if I shouldn't head on towards Springville or Lehi or even commute from further north to avoid the legions of BYU freshmen that will force me into an early grave (considering I am an ancient old maid already to most of them)....I know there's at least two of you out there....come on Provonians, tell it to me straight.
I'm sad to leave Arizona. I'm quite certain that I'll end up living in the Utah deserts during evenings and weekends. I'd really like to learn to fly fish. Are there places to fly fish near Spanish Fork? I hear the rock climbing is all right, too.
I like to think that I'll be living out my next few years like a young Katharine Ross......26-year-old English teacher hanging out with Western outlaws and keeping them in line while I help them bust into South American banks, and then, hopefully, I'll find a Dustin Hoffman to burst into the temple doors someday yelling, "Emily! Emily!" and waving a large wooden cross so I don't end up marrying some strange Provo man I don't really love. It will be very dramatic I hope, and I will be very beautiful. Fingers crossed! Anyway, just wanted to lay down the word--I'm moving back to Utah. *cue very formidable and conclusive metal door slamming shut*
10 comments:
Boom! Hells yeeeah.
What a rockstar job that would be (esp. being in charge of your curriculum/methodology).
That seems to suit you perfectly. Really.
I appreciated the Katherine Ross thread through this post. I heartily confess my crush on her everytime my wife and I watch a film featuring her. Benjamin Braddock became a wise man in the end. I really thought that you were going to bring the K. Ross reference full circle, and mention something about you becoming a mental health professional for at-risk youth who see 6ft. rabbits (a la Donnie Darko).
Congrats again, G-land. And of course: plenty of good fishing spots near Spanish Fork (including the town's namesake). I think you have to drive a little to find the better spots, but not too far.
I am excited for you. Smacking-my-fist excited.
Thanks Joe! Yeah, I can't believe I missed the Donnie Darko shoutout opportunity. And if anybody can reach out to a young man who has a six-foot imaginary bunny telling him what to do, it's me golldammit.
First thing I'm going to do is scout out the old men in the area who might want to teach me how to fish, starting with the stake presidency. They'll know some lonely old man. I'm excited. Thank you for the fist-smacking...I admit I'm afraid of appearing like a bottom-feeder by steering from the PhD route for a while, but, yeah, it feels good!
Congrats!!!! I'm so happy for you--that job sounds absolutely perfect for you. Great, Great, Great!
So I started thinking...I think that Jill Overmyer is looking for people to move into the house she bought in Orem. I don't know if you would want to do that, but I thought I would pass it on. It would be better than living with a bunch of BYU freshman or something. Yuck. Congrats again.
Congrats!!!!! Don't worry, you don't need to live in Provo, you could live up Spanish Fork canyon, or in Springville--it's nice there. Or even commuting won't be very bad. This is awesome! Whoo-hoo! Three cheers! You should teach a class about me.
I'm so happy you got the job. I think it is cool that you get to teach whatever you want. Where do you even start? Sadly I"m not the English major that I should/could be and have fallen to the ways of easy-reads and formulaic horror.
I don't know what to tell you about Provo. I haven't lived there for a few years, but I do remember that once I graduated and wasn't married it was like the end of the world for my roommates (18 and 19 and engaged).
I wouldn't want you to commute, but come visit us some times. That is TIMES...like more than once. I need some normal chick company....and please don't sleep in the garage.
GILZ! I have some incredibly important things to say. I give them to you in numerical form; no note-taking needed.
#1- I can't wait for the world, even in smallest form, to experience you as an English teaher once again!! This is the greatest piece of news I've had in a long time. And I get great news all the time.
#2- I am green with envy that you get to choose your own curriculum, and field trip it every freaking Friday. Can I come? Ever?
#3- You could commute...it would save you from ever having to tell anyone you live in Provo. I know how difficult this can be. The words still get caught in my throat 93.7% of the time. I've been told the Springville social circle is older and pretty cool. I regret I have never yet experienced it. I got stuck in the Provo route due to the lack of options in November when I started working here.
#4- But commuting around here is nasty. Plus, you never know what you cold get. HOWEVER. You could come live with me. The place I'm moving to is supposed to be great...and the ward and surrounding areas are populated with the "older, working proffesionals" crowd. Or so I'm told.
#5- I'm a high quality person, I accept and even invite the quirky and the funny, and I also hate BYU freshmen. I strive to break their perfect little bubbles on a daily basis. I think we'd have a lot in common there. Plus, have I mentioned how clean I am? I'd even do the fancy folding thing on our rolls of toilet paper. You don't get that kind of offer every day.
This is only the beginning of what could be a very, very long but highly entertaining list. I mean...do whatever is right for YOU, Gilz...I'll just be so dang MAD if you go live in a hut by a stream with some old fisherman instead of choosing me. I can be earthy too, Gilz. Just give me a freaking chance.
The end. :)
oh hells yes.
that is fine fine fine.
Provo is not so terrible. But, then again I am married, i do recall hating it as a singletoniteer.
Don't commute. Commuting IS terrible.
DeeDee, you have very persuasive arguments. I'm considering every word. I can only promise you that I will be your friend once more and there will be more nights of passing around sodas and something akin to Gilmore Girls once more.
Julia, not only will I be your chic friend, I may even be persuaded to babysit. For free.
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