We Interrupt This Homework...

OK, yeah, so it's been a while, and some have expressed their concern that I haven't really blogged much since getting here. So, here's a brief recap of what's up.

To skim over the trip up here (since I promised I would talk about it): Moving out of my apartment was exhausting and awful, and I am eternally grateful to all of those who helped in getting it done. Seriously. The cleaning out got finished about 2pm that Monday -- and I'd hoped to get on the road by about 9 or 9:30 that morning! So, that put me in Joplin, Missouri at about a quarter to one in the morning, somewhat later than desired. On the way there, I had a brief emotional moment as I was driving north through Austin, as I passed the University of Texas campus and could see the UT Tower from the highway. Crazy and unexpected, that was. Mainly because I'd had rather an emotional rollercoaster for much of the previous week in saying goodbye to various people and places, and by that time, I thought I was done with that sort of thing. Go figure. The rest of the trip was essentially uneventful. There were a few things that amused me along the way, and I now know for sure that it is possible to make the drive in two days, but three is better. But in looking over my notes in retrospect... eh. I was, of course, damn proud to be driving through the land that birthed Zesmerelda, but other than that, it doesn't seem all that blogworthy now.

Since then, it's been positively wonderful to be back in Chicago, although I haven't done much other than drive back and forth to the hospital each day. But my drive takes me up Lake Shore Drive every morning, and down it again each evening, and I just look at the skyline and think how much I love being here. I don't know what the future will bring, or if I'll be able to stay here once the internship is over, but I'm really enjoying the time that I have. Now, if I could just find the time for a bit more socializing...

Which brings us to the internship itself. It's been six weeks now, and some of the frustrations are beginning to make their way to the surface... Don't get me wrong, I'm excited to show up at the hospital each day, I love what I'm doing and am amazed at how much I've learned already. It's just that the best days are when I get a little bit of guidance in the morning and then check in as to what I've done at the end of the day, and am left to my own devices in between. I've talked a lot with one of the other interns, as well as my mother the Early Childhood guru, and I'm pretty clear in my own mind that the issue lies in having to do things the way somebody else would do it, and not in the way that my own gut instincts (or the children's responses) lead me. Once somebody hires me to actually do this as a job, the expectations will be different. And that's not to say that a reasonable amount of the input isn't valuable -- it most certainly is. But to spend an hour with a child, only to recap it for someone and have them tell you, "Well, I would have done this instead," after the fact is frustrating, and at times feels rather counter-productive as well. But, I'm here to learn, and I AM most definitely doing that. For ten more weeks. And Mom says she'd worry if I got all the way through without feeling this way, so that helps, too.

And what, you ask, of the living arrangements? Well, of course La Cabeza Grande would have to have her perspective considered as well, but from my view things are working out exceedingly well, considering we are two people accustomed to having our own time and space without somebody else around to casually observe our daily quirks. We laugh a lot here in the Condominium of Muddled Accents, and often think we should be blogging much more about the randomness that comes out of our brains and mouths... but, sorry, folks, somehow it just doesn't translate as well to those of you who aren't here in the moment. Can't explain it, can't recreate it. Sucks to be you. But it's damned funny.

I have not turned into a blue Sister Madness popsicle, but am really rather enjoying the colder weather in spite of temps in the negative digits last weekend. Again, it's been a fairly easy winter all things considered, and I know that, but... overall, all is well, I just wish I had a bit more free time to spend with the nears and dears here. If some of you (and you know who you are) would just CALL ME!!