My flatmates are all teachers. Stefanie and Alicia both work in middle schools in San Francisco. Stefanie's school is in West Oakland, which is one of the worst neighbourhoods in the Bay Area.
Her students are in the age group of 13-14. The stories she told in the evening after I came home from a comfy day in the office were startling: students threatening the principle, others accused of rape or involved in drug dealing. She has a hard job, but an inspirational positivism about her work, and the ability to do it with a passion. Despite this, and being voted the teacher with the best sense of humour in the school, four of her car windows were smashed on the last day of term. And that still didn't get her down.
Both Stefanie and Alicia are away at the moment, enjoying the summer break (Stefanie is in Costa Rica). Laurie and Kathie are friends of theirs who have came to San Francisco after working for years on Santa Catalina Island close to Los Angeles in an outdoors center there. Both are passionate cyclists and love the outdoors, and like Stefanie and Alicia before them, they are a lot of fun to live with. They are starting a teaching program in San Francisco at the end of July. The photo above left is of Jacob (Laurie's boyfriend), Kathie and Laurie (and a bottle of tequila); on the right is Kathie at Point Reyes.
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