I got news at the end of this school year that I will be teaching for biology and one oceanography in the fall... But I'm not going to forget my earth science because it's kind of essential when one is going on these trips to places outside their region.
This is the first time I've been on a guided tour. Unless you count all of the years of going with my parents on trips and they were in charge of the schedule. From that perspective, Clover is well prepared to follow the adult plan because they 've been getting that for years. I, on the other hand, kind of chafe at somebody else scheduling my life.
I've been reviewing and re-reviewing the plan to try to get my head wrapped around it and not be quite as grumpy as I was last summer on the canoe trip down the James.
I'm finding myself more and more convinced that I do not want to take students on a trip like this regardless of where it is going. I get high anxiety levels just taking the students outside the classroom - okay... That's mild to moderate... I get high anxiety levels taking kids on a field trip off campus. And there's some portion of my life that I work to manage my anxiety. The people close to me already know this about me. Doing a school tour sounds really awesome and wonderful... But in the end there's a lot of little people and a lot of opportunities for things to fall apart, and those are moments I really don't feel like answering to parents about. I wouldn't want someone calling me about losing my kid for instance... But no! That is not why I'm on this trip! I am on this trip because there are so many amazing things that I will see for the first time... A couple in Paris for the second time.... But most of this trip are bucket list items.
Paris - I've been before, and I've seen Museé D'Orsey before... I've been down the Champs Élysée And I seen l'Arc de Triomphe - But Le Louvre!
I think I'm still going to need to go back to Paris because this trip has way too many things where there's a long list of things we're seeing, which means that there is a viewing of the thing... Not a stepping in and experiencing the thing. At some point in my life I want to actually get my toes into Paris like I did in London last year. I wanted to walk down the streets, shop in the markets... And spend an afternoon in a cathedral if I want... Not 10 minutes.
Jeff and I went to Paris back in 2001, I think. It was a 2 or 3 days whistle stop tour. The only thing I think we spent time in was Musée D'Orsay. The tour is doing that again. This time... There's part of me that wants to skip... And not sure even if I can if I want to. That's the problem with being on a tour. Skipping a major part of the plan doesn't really fit. But to be fair, Clover's teacher leading this is an art teacher AT an Art School (Appomattox Regional Govnor's School). So I really need go so that I can glean some wisdom from the professional.
Looking forward to the Seine River Tour - looks like that's an .....ohhhhhhh..... That day STARTS with Giverny.... And I'm just realizing... That's MONET'S HOME! Saw a movie about him later in life there - random note - but YES, that's another bucket list item. River tour is after Giverny, so neither will be the all day thing I would hope for, but will each be given substantial time. Beyond excited. (So is Clover)
I'm losing track. I had a concussion back in January and it is still affecting me some, but mostly ok. Getting lost in one's thoughts is normal, but somtimes my getting lost in them can't backtrack to where I was. Thankfully this is in print.
But I've maxed my screen time for now.
Packing has been an ongoing process. I'm chafing less at the 22" bag that is supposedly checked per the instructions, but when I read read the airline website that appears to be the dimensions of a carry-on bag, not a checked bag. So I'm limited to something about the size of a microwave for my clothes on the trip. And I get to take a backpack along with me. That's 14" or less... Which I have done... But I'm not excited about the dimensions for either. In the spirit of going along with the short-term communism I will be experiencing... I'm embracing the limitations of my existence.
Day four will pretty much be all day D'Orsay, at which point we travel to Florence and I think we're going to have dinner there unless it ends up being on the airplane. Very sad about that idea because dinner in Florence sounds much more appealing. But dinner is not mentioned for that day - And on the other side I don't believe most flights are going to serve dinner if it's just an hour and a half in the air. So dinner is VERY late. Mentally preparing.
On the other hand, I have heard that Italians tend to eat dinner very late and go very late into the night while eating it. So whenever we get to Florence, I imagine we will find food.
Only two days in Florence. Day one will be all the whistle stop tours of significant locations, and day two is sort of open, depending on if the excursion we planned to the leaning Tower of Pisa will happen. Apparently that's in question. If it does not, that means we get to spend a day free in Florence, which I totally embrace.
Okay, I lied... They're sort of half of a day three where we're going to the Uffizi gallery in the morning. Which means we get to see the original Venus standing in the seashell. (Lots of happy face emojis that I'm generally skipping on... So I hope you can sense my Glee without them)
Halfway through the trip, we arrive in Rome!
Another whistle stop tour of architecture and major buildings on day one. Day two is Vatican City. So very excited about Vatican City! We all have to dress nice and make sure that no shoulders or knees are visible... Also no bosoms or violent or religiously offensive tattoos. Fortunately, I don't think my kiwi is going to offend anyone's faith or safety sensibilities. Except the Maori... I'm not always quite sure how they're going to feel about the kiwi tattoo.
Somehow they're wanting to schedule in a Rome walking tour after Vatican City? I don't see how Vatican City doesn't take up the whole day? Am I wrong? I think I can probably spend the whole day looking at the ceiling... Or at least half of it.
The next day is the trip to Pompeii, then we are back in Rome again for our last day before coming home.
It feels like it's going to be a longer trip, which is probably because of the flights. In the end it is 10 days of touring. It will be the good kind of exhausted, but I do worry I've been too grumpy lately and too contrary. I'm not sure I always like myself these days and not sure that a guided trip to Europe is the best way to rectify it. Unfortunately, this has been planned and regardless of whether I'm in the best of humors, it's going to happen. I wish I was the kind of easy personality that genuinely seems to love everybody, get along with everybody, and take everyone just as they are. I wish that was me. But those of us who have our wax & wane just have to pick ourselves up and move on with the plans - regardless of how our disposition seems inclined to bend these days.
So - needing to pray & be a bit more willing to give it over to God the next couple of weeks. And stop falling into the trap of being judgy. And let go.
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