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24 April 2003 Part I
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Well, I am long overdue on an entry about my trip to Georgia. Thank goodness I had the notes written down.
Yeah. I’m that pathetic. Heh.
My trip to Georgia was fantastic. It was during my Spring break, so I could really be there for a full three or four days. I made arrangements for a rental car and hotel in Atlanta, where I’d be flying into. I’d try to get in touch with my dear friend, Sandy, once I got there.
Before I even went out to Atlanta, I had tried to prepare myself for my apartment search. After all, that was the reason I was going out there! The last time I was out there I picked up a couple of apartment guides, so I had spent the last couple of months combing through them, trying to find the best deals. I also did searches on For Rent.com and apartments.com, to name a couple. I spent hours doing this! Both because I wanted to be prepared and also because I am really excited about this new adventure. Once I knew it was going to happen, I did everything I needed to do to make it happen. Yay!
Anyway, when I started my search that first day out there, I hadn’t fully realized how many cotton pickin’ apartment communities there are in the metro Atlanta area. Holy stinkin’ toledo! As I’ve said before, this is a completely new experience for me. I’ve never really ever lived in a big city before. That’s one of the many reasons that I am so excited! Each of the apartments that I looked at was very nice. It didn’t take me very long to realize that it was going to be a tough decision. It also made it all the clearer how much I’d have to be adjusting my pocket book! Although I live in southern California, housing is very cheap here. Not so much in the metro Atlanta area! It’s not outrageous (like San Diego or something), but I will be paying significantly more. So although I’m not taking a pay cut to move there, I will have some adjusting to do because of rent.
You know what changes as you get older? I mean besides the soft, smooth skin going south! Oh, and besides the little footsteps of time marching across my face. Something that has changed greatly as I’ve grown older is the level of my standards. At one time in my life I would have been completely satisfied to find the cheapest apartment and make do. I wouldn’t have cared about the amenities. I wouldn’t have cared what the building looked like. I wouldn’t have cared where it was located. That has all changed. I now care a whole heck of a lot! As I was looking at the apartments, I realized that there were certain things that I couldn’t live without—a dishwasher, washer/dryer hookups at the very least, nice clean lines in the apartment, an attractive setting, and also an attractive building. I also found that a one-bedroom apartment would not suffice. I’ve lived in two-bedroom homes for too long by myself. You see, when you have a two-bedroom apartment or house, other things are bigger, too.
Two full days were spent driving around and around and around the city. I made so many u-turns, that I’m still not sure I ever got off the one street! Heh. Okay, not really. One of the very interesting things about where I’ll be living is “the loop”. There’s a highway that loops around the city. It’s nice because when I missed a turn or got completely turned around (I never got lost, mind you!), I knew that I’d always end up back where I needed to be. Another thing that I learned was . . . man, is it ever beautiful there! There are are trees! And grass! And so many flowers! Oh my! Rolling hills wrap around the city, too. I think I am really going to like it there. This time really presented me with the opportunity to explore my new environment. I can’t wait to officially move so that I’ll be able to explore even more thoroughly.
One day that I was in town I was able to go to the school and visit with the other third grade teachers. I shadowed one young woman and truly enjoyed my visit. She is an outstanding teacher. That much is easy to see. The day was the Good Friday, and although for them it was crazy, it was so much more subdued than what I am used to this year. It’s interesting to see all of classes meandering here and there so quietly. There are expectations of quiet movement from one place to another, and the kids, for the most part, seem to oblige their teachers. I’m not going to get my hopes up, though! Heh.
I spent most of the school day there, and I actually got a lot of ideas for things to do once I got back to my own classroom. I also had a chance to observe some of the other third grade classrooms. Each one was so very different. There was one that seemed to be very much like my own. Ms. E, whom I was shadowing, said that it was ‘the’ class this year—the unruly one. When I walked in, their teacher (such an adorable little thing!) had them put their heads on their desks because they were a little hyped. Oh yeah. That is all too familiar! After school was let out, I was able to chat with all the other third grade teachers. We asked each other questions about standards and objectives and all that teacher stuff. I had a really nice time with them! One of the teachers gave me her copy of the district objectives/standards for third grade so that I could have some idea of what I’d be coming into. Interesting stuff, that was.
After that, I spent some more time roaming around the town and looking at apartments. Some of the other teachers and the principal all recommended apartment communities and also told me which areas to stay away from. A couple that were on my “yes” list were actually in those areas. I was also interested in finding out which ones were in my school’s servicing zone. I had a bad experience with living in an apartment next to one of my students. There’s nothing like getting a knock on the door during the evening and having a student asking, “What was tonight’s spelling homework, Miss H?” Nope. No way. I then crossed off all the ones that any students might be living in. I had to cross of one that I was very interested in. Ah well, such is life.
To Be Continued . . .
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