Wednesday, July 4, 2007

preparations and plot lines

Coupled with packing, I've been cleaning out my closet in my bedroom at home. Today I came across two rolled-up posters entitled "Elizabeth's Life." I had the same-- very creative-- teacher in fifth and eighth grade. Both times I had her, she made us write and illustrate "plot lines" of our lives in a combined attempt to get us thinking about the future and teach the proper components of a story (exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution).



The posters are great windows to my thoughts at different periods. In fifth grade, the major events I used for rising action were things like the family trip to Disneyland, getting a dog, and the time I burned the bottom of my feet on a trip to the beach. I predicted that the peak of my life would be winning the Caldecott Medal (really into reading at the time, winning an award for writing a children's book was the most exciting thing I could imagine for anyone). I had 2007 as the year I both graduated from college (accurate prediction) and the year I got married (way off). Deep into a theatre phase, my eighth grade life plot line chronicled every part in every school play-- 2007, version eighth grade, was all about off-Broadway shows.



It's funny how quickly and how much interest change. Tomorrow I leave for South Korea, something completely unrelated to either plot line. I'm excited, though. I'll be there until the end of July next year. The program begins with six weeks of language and teaching practice classes with 69 other students at a university in Chuncheon. After orientation, we are placed in different cities, where we stay with host families and teach in secondary schools. None of it has a connection to books or theatre, but I'm hoping this might inspire a new plot line.

5 comments:

Christina said...

I am so glad you're going to keep a blog. Congratulations on the beginning of a new plot line!

MaryAnn said...

I'm really glad to see that you're blogging! I'm also entranced by elizabeTHINKorea having "think" in the middle of it. I'm not sure why I think that's so cool, but I do. Best of luck to you, and safe travels!

Aaron said...

Elizabe! Think Orea!

Hope you've landed and settled safely! Sorry L.A. is boring! I hope (and feel reasonably certain) that North Kerasia is 10 million times more interesting!

Jeanette said...

I'm looking forward to a year of reading about your adventures. I hope our 2008 family reunion can happen AFTER you return to Oregon.

Grandma and Grandpa said...

OK so I got into Google and we are still glad you made it safely albeit without clothes etc. We are glad you have a blog and that we figured out how to respond. Love you Grandma and Grandpa