Some people go to Cancun for their Spring Break, I on the other hand substitute teach at my old high school! I really need to get out of Fayetteville! I am actually only joking, I have been having a blast here substitute teaching and today has been pretty fulfilling. I think at first it was a little difficult substitute teaching at my old high school because most of the students here still remember me back when I either graduate in 2007 or I spend time with in the youth group. I thought it was going to be easier because the students knew me, but I think it took them a little bit to see me other than a friend. The students are beginning to see me more as a teacher, while maintaining their friendship with me. The only difference is they are classifying our friendship differently I think now. This different classification is not terrible or anything, but I am sensing more respect. The kind of respect I remember showing my teachers back when I was here.
These past few weeks of substituting have definitely confirmed the calling I have on my life about teaching. I am excited to start my student teaching in the fall and once I finish this part in my collegiate studies, I will obtain my license to teach FULL TIME! After I graduate I probably will stay here until May of 2013 and work off some of the debt I have collected throughout my college years. Thankfully a couple of months with pulling the belt tighter will definitely pay off these debts. During the summer of 2013, I have plans to travel to either Hong Kong, South Korea or Japan. More than likely I will end up in Hong Kong because I feel a strong pull there, as well as a feeling of HK being my second home. Well I know this post is more serious, but I just wanted to say how much I have been enjoying this opportunity to work with my future profession, up and downs included.
I was assisting my supervisor in the International Education Center at FSU and the task at hand was organizing a box full of flags. Anyways as I was shuffling through all of the various flags, I decided to take a quick snapshot of the flags I found the most interesting. The first flag that I thought was interesting was from the country of Ghana. I am not sure what the bird is, but my guess is that its a chicken!
The second flag I thought was interesting is the photo above, it is from the country of Dominica. I thought that a parrot was an interesting bird to use for one’s flag. I also thought it is cute how this parrot is portrayed as a cartoony kind of parrot. 
I thought it was weird how people were present on this flag and two people with what appears to be weapons. Apparently the country of Belize chose this image as a reminder of the oppression they encounter under the British. 
Fayetteville is apparently a growing place for gangs… I was traveling through the Petsmart parking lot off of Skibo and I saw these gang symbols on almost all of the signs in the parking lot… I am sure with the economic downturn in 2008, it has drawn many into gangs that possibly may of not been in them otherwise… I do not know a lot about gangs, but from what my friends have told me, most of the gangs here in Fayetteville have originally come from California… It kind of makes me sad to see this kind of vandalism and how these people think this is the only way they can earn a living. Our country really needs to work on the income inequality otherwise we will continue to have an increase in these types of social problems. This post was really to promote awareness and caution for those who encounter these types of symbols. If anyone wants to identify what it means or what gang it is from, by all means please leave a comment! Thanks in advance!
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