travelteachlove

Perks of Being a Solo Traveler

June 28, 2016 9 Comments

Well, I survived my first international solo flight! While this is something I have wanted to do for a long time, it had me absolutely petrified! There is something a bit unnerving traveling alone to a foreign country to stay in a hostel with people you have never met. I know for many this is a breeze and something they have done a million times, but this is my first solo travel experience. Making it a bit easier is knowing it is temporary and my sister will be joining me at the end of the week. My debut into solo […]

Travel

Helsinki Wanderings

June 23, 2016 61 Comments

Hyvää Juhannusta! Happy Midsummer as they say in Finland. I will miss the holiday celebration this weekend but that’s ok because in 3 short days I will take off for Finland! My bags are pretty much packed at this point letting me focusing on the good stuff, what to do once I arrive. Since I will be on my own for the first few days, it gives me a chance to wander the city with a loose itinerary of areas I want to explore and museums I want to spend hours rambling through. I have divvied up activities and planned […]

Travel

A Walk Through Time, Family History

June 20, 2016 1 Comment

Our trip to Finland where we will get to meet our Finnish relatives (eek so excited!) is coming up in just a week. I can’t believe it is almost here! In preparation for the trip, this past weekend I took a little walk back in time through old pictures, letters, documents, and family stories. My family went to visit Teravainen relatives that live in New Hampshire who hold all the family history documents. We wanted to see what they had and decide what to bring with us to Finland. It was a blast getting together, chit chatting and catching up. We […]

Uncategorized

Sweet Summer Time

June 16, 2016 No Comments

Well another school year has come and gone. With the final announcement for student dismissal to the buses, the students filed out of the school and teachers prepared for a traditional mini celebration. Armed with music makers teachers line the front walk as loaded buses take extra laps around the Circle so the teachers can send them off with a joyful farewell. It is one of my favorite traditions at our school. It truly sets the tone for the kick off to summer. Check it out on Instagram! The end of the year is always bitter sweet. Everyone is more […]

Packing, Travel

Packing for Finland

June 15, 2016 2 Comments

All attempts to pack light for my almost four week trip coming up have flown right out the window. Forget the carry on size bag. There will be no mix and matching from just ten items for this girl. I am going with the big suitcase, too many clothes, and I’m not sad about it one bit. (Although I may be changing my tune when I arrive at the hostel in Helsinki) The preliminary pack has taken over my living room floor. To try and create some semblance of order, I have laid out clothes by stacking them. It is […]

Packing, Travel

Countdown to Finland

June 11, 2016 2 Comments

I can’t believe it is almost here! Summer vacation is right around the corner and I couldn’t be more ready for it. Next week is the last week of school, so come Friday afternoon summer officially begins. There is a lot packed into next week so I am sure it will fly by. What is crazy though is that with only 16 days until I take off for Helsinki I haven’t begun packing yet! Usually by this time before a trip I would have packed, repacked and been ready for a triple check that I have everything. The end of this school […]

Classroom Connection, Social Studies, Travel

Making History Come to Life

June 7, 2016 No Comments

There is nothing better in school than a field trip. It is a chance to get out of the classroom for authentic hands on learning. This spring students in the third grade took a trip to Plimoth Plantation in Plymouth and another field trip to local Governor Winslow House and Daniel Webster Estate in Marshfield. Both trips were a huge hit with students. Visiting these places made textbook readings jump off the page. Things that students had only read about became crystal clear as they roamed these historic sites. Students were also able to make connections they may not have been […]

Classroom Connection, Travel

Spain Day Round Two

June 2, 2016 2 Comments

Today felt like Spain Day all over again. Between the arrival of our class Spain book and pen pal letters from Spain, it was all Spain all the time in our room today. Yesterday afternoon the class book about Spain finally arrived. For several days/weeks now there have been inquiries of when the book would arrive, and low and behold here they are! Students anxiously awaiting their arrival were made very happy students. (Thanks Student Treasures!) They didn’t arrive until after students had left for the day yesterday, which of course meant a big surprise for this morning. Each student who had […]

Travel

TSA Pre Check

May 30, 2016 2 Comments

With security lines growing at airports, and the summer rush about to begin, I guess it was time to jump on board and get TSA Pre Checked. Each night there seems to be a news report about horrifying security lines that stretch for hours. Knowing that I have several flights coming up for various trips, it makes sense to bite the bullet and just pay TSA to get pre checked. I hate the idea of paying for something that is, and should be free, but I also value my time. I most certainly do not want to spend hours of my […]

Classroom Connection

Travel Back In Time

May 23, 2016 1 Comment

This week kicks off one of my favorites of the school year, tax week! I know, I know, your thinking taxes? How can taxes be fun?! Well, for the entire week students in my third grade class get a first hand look at what taxes were like for colonists around the time of the American Revolution and it couldn’t be better. Today began with a greeting from King George III (me) dressed up with a paper crown. On each students’ desk was $5 of play money to use to pay for taxes. We gathered as a colony at morning meeting […]