My time here in Ecuador is winding down. I know that in my head but my heart has not caught on yet. Every once in a while I have a moment when I realize I do not have long in Quito and I have to catch my breath.

This means I have to take advantage of every opportunity to experience Ecuador. Last week, this meant driving with a friend to the coast to lay around on the beach for a week. It was fantastic. We stayed at Hostería Mandála which is a little piece of heaven on Earth. There were little palapas that had hammocks and you just rocked and swayed the day away. Soon I’ll be heading to the Amazon with E for a few days. I hope I will visit more places before I go!

I have been working through an International Baccalaureate HL math text for the last few months and enjoying myself immensely. (I even was working in my hammock on the beach!) It is so much fun thinking about lesson plans and class projects again. In July, I will head home to the US and my first order of business will be to head to NYC to attend the IB conference at UNIS. I haven’t been to a worthwhile professional development conference in SO LONG! I can’t wait!

In addition to the helpful professional development conference, I will also have to attend some not-so-helpful NYS education workshops. I decided to switch my teaching license to New York since I am no longer in Boston and getting things renewed and taking their required RETELL classes will be difficult. However, I had no idea how NYS treats its teachers. What a disappointment! I have to take four exams while I am home and participate in several seminars on things I have been doing for 20 years. When I wrote to the state to ask why experienced teachers are not given credit for their previous service, I was sent a response so obtuse that I almost could not finish reading it. There was just regurgitation of laws and requirements that made no sense. So this means I will spend a great deal of time in my 6 weeks at home taking tests and sitting through seminars so that I can be licensed in NYS. Ugh!

I have a lot to see and do (including apply for my visa!) before I head home. I still can’t believe I only have three months! I have to take advantage!