My middle school team won the Greenville country basketball tournament. It was an exciting and amazing game. We won on a last second shot. Honestly the girls didn't play very well, but they didn't give up and they kept playing hard. I was so proud of them. Directly from the game I drove down to Atlanta. It was my best friend from Furman,Katie's, birthday. We were all going out to do Karaoke to celebrate. We had a blast. I am so thankful for my teammates at Furman. We always have so much fun together and I know they always have my back. My sister, Katie, was arriving in the A for our cousin Julie's wedding. Our other two cousins, Mark and John, picked her up and brought her by the Karaoke place. It was so fun to see them. It seems so weird that we are all old enough to get into a bar. I still remember playing Ricky-Ticky-Stare together at the beach when we were all little. After a great night singing "I Want You Back" by Jackson 5 and "Baby Got Back" (Katie Ro's fav) with my girls we went back to Katie's.
FU Ballas
The birthday girl and me
The cousins all grown up
The next morning was an early one as us Scott girls (and Katie Ro) couldn't pass up a trip to Chic-Fil-A with my parents, Aunts, and Uncles. It was a fun time and good food. We headed to Target to buy luggage for the next leg of my journey and then went back to Katie's to change for the wedding. In Target Katie and I were being kids and juggling a ball between the two of us. I don't know where the video recording of it is, but I'll post it if I get it.
All the Scotts met up by Julie and the Campbell's hotel to have but what other than...MORE FOOD! We talked and talked and finished getting ready for the wedding. From there it was onto the wedding.
We got there and saw J. Kirk, one of my cousins I haven't seen since my Big Pop's funeral almost 7 years ago. It was good chatting with him before the ceremony. The wedding was wonderful. The church was filled to the max, a testimony to how many people love and care for Julie and Jodi. After the ceremony we headed to the reception. It was so great to be with family and relax. Julie looked gorgeous in her gown and was simply glowing the whole day.
At the reception
Beckham and Poppy
From there it was more time with family at the house of one of the Swanson's friends. Their house is 5 houses up the street from Katie Ro's...small world! We ate more and laughed. When that was over Katie and I walked back to Katie Ro's house. I had an early flight to Philadelphia to catch in the morning.
I went to Philadelphia to go to the International School Services recruitment conference. I had asked permission from my principal to go, since I would be missing a week of school. I arrived in Philly Sunday morning and was picked up by Joy (my best friend from my days at Hofstra). I spent the day with her and her family. She has the cutest little girl, Ebelle, that is full of energy. It is so crazy to think that Joy and I met almost ten years ago and now she is married with a baby girl!
Ebelle and me
Monday is when the conference started. I stayed at the hotel because I thought it would be better for networking and less stressful. To offset the cost of the hotel room I got a random roommate that was on a rooming list. It could not have worked out better! She is a great girl that teaches at Langley (only 15 minutes from where I grew up). We had so much in common and really had a great time the whole week. We went to dinner the first night after orientation to a quaint resturant that was celebrating Presidents' Day by having a menu from the 1700's. My food was actually really good and we had a great talk. The next day was full of interviews.
To make the short for the sake of not boring y'all to death...I interviewed with a bunch of schools. I had been contacted by a school in Dalian, China before the conference. I had an interview with Dalian first thing after sign-ups. I met the Head of the School, Brian, and felt at ease at once. The interview was intense, but I felt good the whole time. It was reaffirming for me to be able to share my philosophy on education and passion for children. Brian asked if I would come back for another interview later in the day. I had interviews at other schools and then went to my "call back". I walked in to his room (it is very strange how they hold the interviews, they are in the recruiters hotel rooms) and there was another woman in there. They offered me the job and went through the package and benefits with me. I had until the next day to tell them. I was super excited, but really wanted to pray about it and think it through. I never thought I would be in China! I went to the other interviews I had scheduled and was offered another job in Bangkok, Thailand. I had until the next day to tell her as well. That night there was cocktail hour for recruiters and recruits. My roommate and I went down and were talking to some people. She also got a job offer from a school in China! We were sitting at a table when we saw both of our Heads of School talking to each other. We went over and started talking with them and had so much fun. She knew she was going to take the job, but just wanted a night to sleep on it. I knew deep down I wanted Dalian, but didn't want to rush into it.
I prayed and talked to my family and decided I was going to China! I called Brain the next morning and told him yes. He was super excited. I went down to his room to make it official and then came back to mine to relax. The process was over, or maybe just beginning. My roommate, Elizabeth, and I decided to go walk around Philly. Of course the weather was terrible, freezing and raining, but we still went. We ended up going to Chinatown for lunch! It was so much fun. All I kept thinking was, I can't believe I'm going to China! That night my school and Elizabeth's school took all the candidates they hired out to dinner at this awesome Vietnamese restaurant. We had great food and great conversation. It was so eye opening to me. I never knew there was this huge world of international teaching out there. After dinner the other girls and I decided to go to a Karaoke bar that was right next door. We figured it would be fun and also let us get to know everyone better. We had a blast and it was good to form those connections.
Elizabeth and me in Chinatown
Dinner at Vietnam in Philly with the whole gang
Karaoke for the second time in a week
So that is it. I am going to China to teach at the Dalian American International School to teach 5th grade. I will be there for 2 years. They fly me home at the end of each school year, so I will be back in the states every summer. I am so excited, but I don't think it has fully hit me. There are times where I am thinking to myself.."This time next year I will be in China" or "I'm going to miss doing _______ when I am in China". But then I think, wow what an incredible opportunity to be blessed with. I would regret it if I didn't do it and I know I will grow so much, both personally and professionally. I will try to keep updating this with the departure date of August 3rd approaching faster than I know.
Sorry that was so long, but I wanted to have it all down for memories.
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