From Hostel to Home...Life in Guate

28 days starting next saturday

i've had it! migraines have won this battle for too long now, and i'm finally growing the strength to fight back! whenever one strikes, everyone has advice of "you need to drink more water" or "it's probably something you're eating" or "maybe it's your horomones" or "no sugar, no coffee, no wine..."and the entire time that my head feels like it's going to explode into pieces, i smile and nod and somewhat agree. well, i've had it! i've tried everything! shots, pills, massage, nasal sprays, and everytime, i'm still defeated. i walk around with a negative attitude thinking, "nothing works for me, and i just have to live with migraines because they're clearly linked to my horomones". i may think that i've tried everything, but the truth is that i haven't. i've tried the easy things, the perscriptions. what i haven't tried is figuring out what my body is reacting to and eliminating it. so...here goes, the elimination diet. sigh. it's going to be a rough 28 days of eating mainly fruits and veggies and not much in between. i'm going to start it next saturday (allowing myself a bit more time for research & just in time for spring break).

i'm going to make a point to blog about how it is going throughout the month to help myself remain accountable.

step 1- first two days is a detox with only green smoothies and water. after the detox, there are 3 phases of the diet where slowly foods are re-introduced into my body. i have a good feeling that this is what my body needs in order to figure out what is giving me migraines. sure it's connected to horomones, but it could very well be a food that is triggering the attack.

no coffee, dairy, gluten, or alcohol for 28 days. go, go, gadget willpower...

the sunshine warms my heart

i love my boyfriend for bringing me home flowers that smell like heaven

i love that the sun shined for two days and made me feel more alive than ever

i love our front garden bed for growing

i love spring

i love my new teaching blog (www.sherripatricelocurto.blogspot.com)

i love the thought of teaching abroad

i love my classroom, students, job & second grade in general

i love sushi

red wine

chocolate

cupcakes

exercise tv

bubble baths

ben

SUNSHINE

and you...

 

 

 

office decor

i haven't been teaching long enough, or rather stayed in one state long enough for previous students to come back and say...whatever it is they would say to me. hopefully something positive and inspiring, but i'm not them, so who knows. i'm sure my day will come, and i will love it each and every time:)

who cares? it came close to home today. i'm working on a letter of interest for teaching with department of defense and i decided to email my advisor that supported me through my masters and thesis. i wanted her to review the letter and make suggestions. i was a bit timid at first wondering if she would remember me. professors who support studies and teach mad classes have every right to shrug shoulders at past students. to my surprise, she not only remembered me but told me that she has a picture of me hanging in her office:) she had chosen me to present my thesis study at a conference and we had crazy amounts of pictures taken that day. i wish i still had mine:(

sure it feels good that she remembers me and supports my next teaching move, but it more made me want to spice up my memory to make sure i make my students feel as good as my professor made me feel just a few years later. amazing. to think of the youngster master students sitting in her office and seeing my picture is a pretty great feeling.

"that teacher"

i admit it, i'm "that teacher" who brags about her students and their perfection. the teacher who raises her hand at staff meetings to share how awesome her students are. yes, i'm that annoying teacher. other teachers tend to roll their eyes and force a smile towards my comments. today was different. today was amazing! after my routine grading this morning, i realized my entire reading group with the exception of one passed their theme test with 80% or higher. the one child who didn't pass was only one quesiton off with a 78%. i was sooo proud of them today that i decided to have a little celebration. not knowing that the grading would be superior, i had nothing planned (no cookies, treats, or games planned). so i improvised. after celebrating the scores, i told them that i wasn't going to teach a lesson today and they could have 30 minutes of free reading! the room burst into cheer! i spiced it up a bit letting them sit where they want, and even partner read! they were so excited and happy with their earned celebration. wow. that's something to brag about. it was such an exciting teaching day for me today, and i bragged to everyone i saw! here are some pictures i took during our little "passing reading celebration"

other teachers thought i was crazy for using reading as a reward at the end of the day for those who earned the extra time. i've stuck with it, and now i have a room full of readers who love to read! that's something to celebrate:)