Addicted to hypens. And/Or Attitude Adjustments.

So, I admit that it’s uniquely American of me, but thus far I’ve tried really hard to maintain my ‘American’ attitudes.  And I’m going to preface this, right off the bat: what you’re about to read my make me see like an ass hole.  Maybe I am.  The bottom line, however, is that it’s honest.  Don’t read onward if you can’t handle it.

Initially, me to Kazakhstan:

You all don’t like how I dress?  I see, but this is how Americans do it.  You asked for an American, so here I am, delivering.

I’m sorry- you have a problem with my short hair?  Well,  that’s just too bad.  Be glad you missed the colours.

You hate my hiking boots?  Well, guess what? My feet are dry and warm, and I am not afraid of puddles.

My handwriting is atrocious?  Oh, that’s right, I actually went to college to gain proficiency in my area of study- nt.ot to perfect my handwriting copying the answers of tests and homework assignments.

Bottom line?  This is me.  Take it or leave it.

The sad fact is, I think they’d prefer to leave it.  As I’ve previously indicated lately I’ve been having a hard time here.  A very bipolar-making thing.  And after far too much introspection (you’ve gotten a taste of that already, if you read my blog) something mundane and obvious hit me over the head:

HELLO LAURA. YOU ARE FIGHTING EVERYTHING AND EVERYONE FOR EVERY INCH.

That’s right.  I’m fighting the stares and laugher (daily) at my boots.  I am fighting to be allowed to plan games in my classroom.  To teach less from the book.  To capture and keep my kids’ attention.  To eat something now drowning in animal fats.  To find something green.  To keep my hair short (and sassy!).  To write sloppily because that’s just how I do it.  To draw pictures in the margins of all my work-related-planning-boring-as-all-get-out books.  To wear bright colours.  To laugh out loud (gasp!). To… to… well, you get the point right?  To do everything.

And suddenly, in the midst of this mind-blowingly-super-genius epiphany, a solution appeared:

STOP FIGHTING EVERYTHING. YOU ARE A SUUUUPER GENIUS.

And so, I did.

Next entry: the story of how.  Right now: sleep.