There's nothing like showing up a week early to a substitute teaching training session. I can't stop laughing at my own ridiculousness that came out in full force this morning.
On my way in to the school building, I realized I had driven to the wrong entrance. On the verge of frustration and despair, I turned around to find a few more people walking in behind me. I turned to the first person and asked him if he was also there for the substitute training. He said that he was an administrator and opened the door for me. He was very kind and walked me to the front office where I managed to make a fool of myself repeatedly. I couldn't open the door that clearly read, "push," on it, which he easily managed to open. I was then reminded that the training was scheduled for Oct. 29. Realization dawned on me, and my mouth dropped; it wasn't the 29th today.
Needless to say, I was embarrassed. The kind administrator showed me the way out, and during our short walk, I managed to have complete verbal diarrhea. I told him I was sweating, that my new name is confusing because it sounds Hispanic, and I'm a blond, blue-eyed, pale white girl, and that I love teaching, but hate the politics. I told an administrator of the district all of this information. He asked for my card to make sure that I got called for teaching jobs. I hope he doesn't ban me from the district because of my complete idiocy.
I nervously laughed as I said goodbye, and then completely busted my gut cracking up as I exited the building. This whole experience assuaged my anxiety because I was able to get a ton of humiliation done and over with. My mom told me that now I can really be myself in that job. I responded that it can't be helped; I'm a force that I can't even stop.
The best way for me to deal with anxiety-inducing situations is to laugh about them. I definitely made an entrance into the district this morning, and my embarrassment has rewarded me my favorite medicine: hilarity, fun, and simply laughing my ass off.
Here's a video I took after I left the school: "Whoopsies! How Embarrassing!"
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