Moving Miracles

Hey everybody!
It has been a busy summer here in DC! Hmmm, where should I start?

This month started on a sad note. My friend left DC for grad school and it was hard to see him go. That is what is so hard living in this city. Three of my friends left this month and even though I will see them again, I miss them.....

On a brighter note, I just got back from Buffalo/Toronto where my family celebrated my parents' 30th Anniversary! Buffalo was absolutely amazing. I went to check out this studio called Moving Miracles, where they only serve the differently-abled population. They have special studios, strong props, and a variety of different tools to help their students dance. I was fortunate enough to take a class with 6 girls with Down Syndrome and one girl performed her solo for me. The women who work there are incredibly dedicated to their students and are definitely my dance educator heroes. Oh, and I also had the best Buffalo wings of my LIFE. I am actually craving them.
After Buffalo I went to Toronto for some Ohana time. The seven of us went to Niagra Falls and visited my cousins in Toronto. My siblings are my best friends and it was great just taking time to NOT work and be with them. Of course, the falls were beautiful but they really made me miss Ghana (Kintampo Falls) and the experience of finding a waterfall/swimming in a waterfall.

Work is work. Remember when I was an intern? At NDEO it was deja vu week and I folded, stuffed, sealed mailings and shredded my hands off. I kept telling myself ," someone has to do it." But I can't wait to have my masters and do more meaningful work. (Grad school apps open next month!) MYB is off for the summer and so I am only working the office now. I am subbing for the Little Tots program tonight but I really miss my girls. Next year I am teaching the 3 yr olds and I will really miss my 4 year olds but my schedule for next year gives me Sundays off! I officially signed the contract to work at MYB from Sept-June! Scary but exciting right?

Well this week I am off to NYC on Friday for some time with my friends and some fun.

I love and miss CA

-Chrissie

shout out to the broodles

I know I haven't done this in awhile



One session for Creative Movement at MYB- 140 dollars

One purse at H&M in Toronto- 17 CAD

One kids meal at Chick-fil-a- 3 dollars

A group of girls that I can depend on- Priceless

Hey Broodles, thank you so much for all the sleepovers, late night chats, broodle dinners, girls night outs, gchats, phone calls, and endless amounts of love that I have received throughout my time here. In all my life, I have never met a group of girls so close and encouraging. I love you all SO much and I would not have survived this summer without you! I am so blessed to know each and every one of you. See ya at dinner!

corn hole

Hey everybody!
Corn Hole is my new favorite game! It is basically like a bean bag toss but there are teams and the bags are filled with corn. I had my doubts about it at first but now I love it!
Sorry, I haven't updated in awhile. July is a really busy month for me bc I am working every day!
So here it goes:
Work is going alright. It is great to have only two jobs and things have been busy at both. At the NDEO we are launching our Dancers with Disabilities forum and I couldn't be more excited! This is one of the reasons I came to DC and all my work is finally turning into something. The forum is for dance educators that work with the differently-abled population and we have been working on it for a few months. My classes at MYB are a lot harder this session. During the summer we have new students that don't really know what to do. Plus it is SO hot that the kids just don't want to dance. My theme is Pixar for this session and every week we go over a different Pixar movie.
I started getting closer to people in this city. My roomies are AMAZING. They have been here for me above and beyond and I love being apart of their awesome group of friends. It helps having friends here!
Did I tell you I danced with a company? WHAT!! Yup! Stay tuned to see what happens next!
These next few weeks are packed with visitors, friends, trips, work, and going to the pool!

I LOVE and MISS CA!

-Chrissie

ps. Jessica Maria Chan or Jue is awesome.

summertime in the DMV

Hey friends!

DMV- district, Maryland, Virginia- my new word of the day!

Thanks for the friends and the family in CA, I ate a lot of food and saw a lot of people. If I didn't see you; I apologize. I am still recovering from the sicky-ness on my trip but hopefully by next week I will be 100 percent better!

Things here in Maryland are back to normal. Lots of databases, filing, shredding, and answering phones. This Sunday I start teaching again at MYB because our summer session starts and I am VERY excited to be teaching again.

Sorry this post is so boring and short but I should be filing right now. Here are some new things :

1. I joined the DC Sigmas- Sigma Kappas in DC that meet up a few times a month

2. Jessica and Brian just came to visit last Saturday

3. I am part of the All UC alumni group- I think

4. I found my new favorite accessory store- Lou Lou

5. I SAW A FIREFLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Details to come later!

I love and miss CA

-Chrissie

countdown begins........

Happy Birthday Jamie Brooklyn Tang!

Things I am going to do in CA:

Disneyland

the BEACH

Jazz class

Family dinners

Rock Harbor India thingy on June 8

Graduations!

Spend time with people I love

Places I will eat at:

Alertos

Pho

Boba Loca

Guppies

The HAT

Fukada

PeKing

85 degrees

Yogurtland

Cha for Tea

Any other suggestions? I only have one week in CA...

Can you tell that I am so excited for CA?? I am heading up to NYC for a day then flying straight to LAX. It is all I can really think about right now.

I am leaving Copper Canyon. Serving is great but 60 hour work weeks are NOT. They understood and when I come back from CA , I am going to have a meeting with the managers. I am really excited to have free time.

My classes are winding down at MYB and there is a LOT of drama. We are in such a transitional state that everyone's job security is unknown. We don't know what classes we have, what times we are working, or even why they are hiring so many new people. I am getting the full jist of what it is like to work in a "pre-professional school"

I LOVE my apartment. My roomies are amazing and I am so happy that I moved in with them.

Women's groups have ended but in the summer we start Co-ed bible study. It is in the next city so I am trying to figure out if I can make it.

Well, I will see you all in a a few weeks!!

I LOVE and MISS CA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

-Chrissie

humidity

Hey party people!

WHY DID GOD CREATE HUMIDITY???????

if anyone has hair suggestions for me, please let me know. It isn't just humid, it rains! Hairspray? Just put it up?

Well things in DC have been going well. I just got moved up to server at the restaurant ( as long as I pass the training classes) so that means I will be working a bit more. I figure by the time I get trained I will almost be done with the spring session at MYB so I will be able to use the cash. 60 hour weeks, here I come! I am not gonna lie, it is tough working so much and juggling all three jobs. But if you know me, I prefer to be busy.

Last Saturday I got to sub for the Music and Motion class! What a rush! Having to plan 2 classes in 4 hours and teaching my own 4 classes was a lot of work and a lot of fun! It was refreshing to teach the kids and it was a great reminder of what I am trying to do with my life. I think I am going to try and create some more curriculum for the fall.

I hung out with my roomies and their friends last Saturday. My roomies grew up 10 min from our apt, went to college 40 min away, and so did a lot of their friends. So I met a LOT of people that were all interconnected. I really miss that about college. I miss going to places and seeing people I know.

I am gonna be home from June 7-14! I am so excited for Mexican food, the beach, Disneyland, and all my friends and family!

I LOVE and miss CA......

-Chrissie

ps. how are you?

MYB

Hello!

Now that I have been here for 3 months (!!) I feel like I should add detail to my blog.

Maryland Youth Ballet is my favorite job. When I reception there 2 days a week, I answer the phone, sell concessions, check people in, and that is most of it! My boss is Julie Miles and I absolutely adore her. Everyone who works in the office has danced their entire life and we love to laugh, show each other clips on youtube, eat, and did I mention take class?? My schedule is so flexible there and it is not stressful at all. MYB pays me 2x as much as my other jobs!

I started teaching 6 classes last week and I LOVE IT SO MUCH!!! MYB has a set curriculum and I teach within that. I teach 2 (with parent) 3 ( little dancer) and 4 (creative movement) year olds and 2 classes of each. This month, the theme for my class is Earth, in honor of Earth day. I teach them concepts of high and low using trees, animals, environment, etc. Any and all suggestions of how to teach recycling or conserving water, please let me know!

I think part of the reason I love MYB so much is because people love MYB. We have 70 year old grandmas who come in every single day, our staff tends to work overtime without getting paid, we have kids that come back every year even though they already know all the songs, etc. Everyone loves to dance and loves to be there!

One of the great parts of MYB is the Music in Motion project. Jennifer Cox started this for her granddaughter, Mary, who has cerebral palsy. I am one of Mary's helpers and even though she has done the same class for 7 years- she comes every week. They said during the snow people were complaining about coming in for work- then they saw the wheelchairs come in!

This is a video of Mary when she was a super for the Joffrey!

http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=6447417

Rumor has it, one of our teachers is leaving and someone (ahem) is going to be offered her classes if she really does leave!!

I LOVE AND MISS CA!!!

My mom is visiting me this week! Details about her visit next week!

How are you???

-Chrissie