1st of September. Esp. as a teacher I always find this day special. It is when the new school year starts and the lazy days of summer vacation have really come to an end. Today even started with rain showers – what better sign for fall approaching could there be?! Just in case, I made a potato soup for tonight’s dinner because that definitely screams fall. To me the 1st of September feels more like a start into a new year than New Year’s Eve, just because I structure my life more in school years than calendar years.
This new school year is my thirteenth year as a teacher. My eleventh year abroad. From now on I have taught more time in the U.S. than in Turkey. It also has the weirdest start I have ever experienced with all the new rules and procedures due to Coronavirus. They make me feel both well prepared and anxious. After all the virus is still spreading and often even the best precautions don’t seem to stop it. Only at the end of last week I had my blood tested for antibodies. Unfortunately, I don’t have any anymore. We had Covid-19 in April and by now, 4.5 months later, all antibodies have disappeared already. Besides the virus, I look with concern upon the November elections. I expect it to be another extremely nerve-racking event. Possibly even more for migrants like me and minority groups.
Thinking of more positive things, I hope we’ll have a great fall. I want us to go apple picking. Visiting a cranberry farm has also been on my bucket list for a few years. Labor Day Weekend is ahead of us and it is weird, but also fun to have it so late in September. Mostly because I checked that the first farms already offer apple picking. Plus after that it is only 5 weeks until my week of fall break. Since spring passed me by this year, I am having high hopes for fall. It looks like neither Rich nor I have to work on any weekend soon so we have plenty of time to enjoy the outside. Although I also wish that eventually cinemas reopened and we’d be allowed to eat inside restaurants in the City. If not, we’ll try even more new recipes at home. Now that we are getting the hang of using our Instant Pot, it is even more fun in the kitchen. I can’t wait for us to properly try its air fryer lid. Maybe for apple cider donuts?
Since September feels so much like a new year to me, I should also work on resolutions, hehe. We recently started to go to bed really early, at around 9.15 p.m. Mostly because we have to get up at 6 a.m., but also because I always work better and am way nicer when I get more sleep. In general I learned over the last six months that I highly value slowing down and that I need my introvert breaks. Every Saturday we plan to go to Union Square farmer’s market because it is a beautiful long walk and the regional farms sell amazing produce.
Mostly, I am excited about fall to start this year. Finally an expected change after all the unforeseen events in 2020. Teaching at school again will give my days more structure and routines I used to have. My experience from the last six months will hopefully slow me down and have me appreciate every little (planned) fall event even more. I think that should be a fabulous start into the new (school) year.
© janavar