NY3: The Aussies

I started Saturday with a quick stroll around the local shops, mainly shoe shops, along Madison and 5th Avenue but didn’t buy anything.  I then grabbed my laptop and set up office in the Rooftop Lounge, choosing the leather couch in the middle picture above.  I was alone on the 14th floor, which sounds like a movie title, particularly when you realise it is actually the 13th floor (the emergency evacuation plan told me).  After a couple of hours of successful work I returned to my room for my now daily nap but scoffed some mini-bar snacks as a lunch substitute.

It has been an unusual Winter holiday in that it seemed everyone I knew on Instagram and beyond were travelling in foreign lands and it turns out some were in New York the same time as me.  I had a day’s overlap with @townesy77 but we were in different areas of Manhattan and failed to connect.  On this occasion, however, I met with @biancaH80, @waginski and @johnqgoh for pizza.  Bianca and Lee have been travelling across the USA with their two boys for a few weeks now, with another week to go.  As they told their stories it was a strange experience because I knew most of their stories already, since I’ve been following their trip on Twitter, Instagram and in Bianca’s blog.  The travelling they’re doing is an amazing learning experience for them but also their children.  Early on when we had children we weighed up travelling versus private schooling and went with the private schooling.  Generally I have no regrets but sometimes when I see and hear what the Hewes family are doing, I wonder.

I’ve also been following John’s journey.  He has been on a week long course at Harvard and a blog is never going to cover the depth of what he has learned and is still processing.  I enjoyed listening as he continued to explore his thoughts and reflections of his experience.  Much of the conversation was about how what we do in our schools reflects our values, particularly for principals.  So if a Principal is participating in classes, professional development of staff and generally being involved in the learning processes of a school you can see how much he or she values learning.  I know John does all these things.

Pizza at Luigi’s on 8th Avenue

Walking down Broadway – (1) Empire State Building (2) Our Point of Departure

We had met at the SE corner of Central Park, walked the Southern edge, stopped for pizza, made for Times Square and then followed Broadway until we reached the street of Bianca and Lee’s hotel.  Similarly, John and I walked (and talked) until we reached the street of his accommodation and then I completed the loop back to mine.  It was a very pleasant evening for it too.  I have done a lot of walking since I’ve been here and enjoyed it immensely, except for the blisters!

Saturday may not have been as jammed pack as the previous two days but connecting with other passionate educators is of deep value and the life experiences we are all experiencing here will add to who we are as people in general but particularly as teachers.