One Year Completed

Well, it wasn't so bad :) One year down as a new teacher in a new district. The good news is next year I won't be the newbie anymore.

The absolute hardest part about the new job has been making new friends.  I like people. I like to be social. So it's been a tough year when I can literally count on one hand (actually on one finger!) the number of times I did something socially this school year with someone other than my husband. And it's not why you think... (if you're thinking I just don't like my colleagues or they don't like me, which is, I suppose, entirely possible??).

I've talked to a number of people about this, trying to come to some sort of conclusion about my lack of social life.  Here's my conclusion:  Eagle County is a tough gig to follow in terms of making friends.  And in lots of other ways, but I'll keep my focus on friends and social events.  In Eagle County, everyone is out to make a friend.  Pretty much every person lives hundreds (if not thousands) of miles from their closest relative.  So friends are a pretty big deal.  And in order to make friends and become like the family support system we all needed out in Eagle County, we had lots of social events.  Like at least weekly.  Here in my new locale, folks live approximately three blocks from their closest relative (or so it seems!).  So they have their friends and traditions established.  And it's not that they don't need.want new friends, but they certainly don't need that support system like we needed in the mountains.

I don't know that there's anything to do about this predicament.  It is what it is.  And it's ok.  What it's really made me realize are a few things...
*  Those relationships that were formed in Eagle County are extremely special to me and I wouldn't trade them for anything.
*  It's a really good thing I love my husband since he and I have become each others' social outlet :)