Anticipation.

Tonight is the eve of what is sure to be a spectacular practicum experience. Tomorrow, I'll be embarking on a three-day long car trip westward to Rock Point, Arizona with four of my peers and a former professor. There, we'll be working closely with a school on the Navajo reservation. We're unsure at this point as to how involved we'll be. Our professor, Mark, has explained to us that the culture there is very different from what we are used to and might require a lot of adjustments on our part in order to be accepted in the classroom by both the students and the teachers. Our activities there will range from observations, individual tutoring, small group work, and full-fledged teaching, depending (again) on how we interact with the teachers and students and how well we are received. Mark has assured us that, regardless of how big or small our roles in the classroom end up being, our experience will definitely be a unique and worthwhile one because of the substantial cultural differences. He specifically mentioned basketball as the extracurricular activity that the school is most invested in and I am really excited to see a few games.

Though it is the primary focus, teaching will not be the only highlight of this trip. We’ve allotted some time in our travel plans for sightseeing out west. Though I’ve already been to the Grand Canyon, I’m sure it will be an entirely new sight in the middle of the winter. There are a few other landmarks we’re hoping to visit, though my inability to find my camera charger at the moment might make photographic documentation of my trip a non-option. Regardless, it should be a great time. I really adore the other students that I’m traveling with and am glad to have the opportunity for an academic, but fun, road trip during my last year of college.