Slightly More Concrete Plans

My time in Pennsylvania is amazing!
One wedding down - Congratulations, K & T!
Next wedding = tomorrow! So happy for you, N & B!

July 2-4 Cleveland (can't wait to catch up with my faithful Cleveland blog readers :)!)
July 5 Travel to Buffalo for Wedding #3 of the summer
July 6 Return to Cleveland, then return to Pittsburgh

July 11-13 (approximately) NYC to see "RENT" and visit Case friends!

July 18 Fly back to Hawai'i

I don't know if I've mentioned this, but we are MOVING! to Kailua, HI. It's also on the Windward side of Oahu and it's absolutely beautiful. Our new house is 1.5 blocks from the BEACH! It's also only a few blocks away from delicious Lanikai Juice and an amazing used bookstore. It's farther from my school (only about 3 mi farther, though) but clearly, I have my priorities in order.

Back in PA

I'm back in Pennsylvania for a few weeks! I'll be visiting Cleveland, Buffalo, and NYC before I head back to the Aloha State on July 18. It's great to be home; hope to see you all at some point over break!

Elyse Versus the Volcano

CMG bet that no one would get the reference in the title of this post but I have faith in my readers...here are pictures from my friends' visit to Hawai'i!


Click on the picture for our Oahu and Big Island photos.

Dude...

Did I mention that SCHOOL IS OFFICIALLY OVER?!?!??!

Okay I have two more days of training, and a couple more classes for UH, plus online classes when I get home. But the students of Wheeler Middle School have been DISMISSED!

I can't believe I survived my first year of teaching. To make my biggest understatement of the year, it was hard. I wish I had some eloquent reflections or suggestions to impart, but all I have is pure exhaustion.

Big Island was, once again, amazing, and I will post pictures (and maybe even video) soon!

Maybe once I've had some time to harness and digest the constant insanity of the past year, I'll post a more coherent perspective.

For now, it's bed time!!

Last Day of School

The last day of school has come and gone. I'm SO happy!! Today is a teacher workday, taking care of last-minute paperwork and everything. Tonight, I'm going to the Polynesian Cultural Center with my friends, then Chinatown for First Friday. On Saturday, we are traveling to Hilo, Hawai'i (Big Island) for the day. I can't wait to see Mauna Kea - we didn't get to see it last time.

One of the 6th grade teachers had a substitute this week who made the students write thank-you cards to all of the teachers. They were really sweet and made me laugh. Two of the funniest:

1. "Dear Mrs. (EVERYONE thinks I am married) Moretti, Thank you for teaching us. I forgot almost everything you taught us. Thanks, Student A."

2. "Dear Mrs. Moretti, Thank you for everything you let us do this year. -Student B."

Points for honesty!!

Friends are here!

Everyone says that the last week of school is the craziest, and they are right. I've got all my end-of-the-year stuff to complete, plus transition meetings with 4+ elementary schools (incoming 5th grade students), plus UH summer classes started - Mon - Weds. @ LCC 4:30 - 8:15 PM + online work & online 'class' on Thursday, plus IEP business to wrap up, and it's Teach For America Induction for the 2008 corps members. My friends are here from the mainland, but I can't really hang out with them because I'm barely ever home! But we are going to the Big Island Saturday to check out the lava!

So I am a little busy at the moment...