It's been awhile since I've updated this blog! Life is, happily, back to the hum-drum, comfortable pace we longed for while we were in Mexico. We returned to the States at the beginning of June, starting out in Chicago where we spend about a month with my parents (with a couple of short road trips to Ohio and Goshen, to see friends). Last week we flew to Sarasota, where Luke's parents are now living, and we'll be here for another month.
Shortly after we arrived in Chicago, I got a call from the school I mentioned in my last post - and they offered me the job! The school is Claremont Community School of Music, in Claremont, California (about 35 miles east of downtown Los Angeles). They were looking for someone who could not only teach private piano lessons for them, but could also help them restart their group piano program. So that's what I'll be doing. It's a much smaller school than Levine (in D.C.), but it seems to be well-respected in the community. The staff members I've talked to seem very interested in my opinions, and in doing things based on my ideas and vision. They seem to respect my background and education, which is a great feeling.
So, in about a month, we'll be moving to southern California! We're really excited about being in that part of the country - neither of us has ever spent much time in that area, but we've heard really great things about Claremont and the surrounding area. Plus, we'll be close enough to L.A., Angeles National Forest, the San Gabriel Mountains, and Joshua Tree National Forest that we're unlikely to run out of things to do and see.
We are (I am) in housing-search mode right now. We're thinking of short-term/temporary housing options, like house-sitting or something similar, while we look for permanent housing. (If anyone has any leads or ideas, please let me know!) Luke is also looking for jobs in the area, so if you have any ideas for him...
Lots will be happening in the next few months! We feel good about what's coming up next for us, and we agree that our time in Mexico was valuable in ways we never expected. We both came back to the States with a clearer idea of what we want to do next. For me, I became totally convinced that I do, in fact, want to teach piano! Luke, meanwhile, solidified his interest in attending graduate school next Fall, likely in a Ph.D. program rather than just a Master's as he originally thought. Along those lines, he's been doing some serious studying for the GRE which he'll take next Wednesday (here in Sarasota). Then, the application process will begin!
I'd like to try to keep this blog updated (although I may need to change the name of it!), so stay tuned!
