I don’t know about other people, but for me it is really easy to get wrapped up in my work and to neglect my social life. I’ve been making a conscious effort to work on this, and it has been going pretty well.
Near the beginning of the year I took a day trip to Sewell, Chile. This is particularly interesting to me because I’m from Sewell, New Jersey. There they have the first mining town in Chile, and they actually brought down mining experts from the States that then taught the Chileans how to mine effectively. With time the Chileans became better than the Americans, and this is part of why Chile is well-known for its exportation of copper.
In addition to seeing the homes where they lived, we got to see the first bowling alley in South America and an old swimming pool that they used. There was also some amazing art that documented a mining accident that killed people and was an important part of Chile’s history.
I also took a tour to El Cajon de Maipo on Good Friday. It’s not that far from Santiago, but it’s far enough that you can’t travel easily using public transportation. We started out by stopping and getting some breakfast at a rest stop. I had actually packed all types of snacks in anticipation of the high prices, so I just got a cup of tea. After that, we went to the tunnel that a train used to run through. We actually walked through it using the flashlight on our phone, and it was a bit creepy but cool. When we continued on to Embalse de yeso, there was a huge line of cars and vans waiting to pass. Since it was a holiday weekend the police were only letting one van pass every ten minutes, and considering the 2 or 3 hours we would have waited our tour guide advised us to get out and make the 30-minute walk.
The last time I was there was about 5 or 6 years ago, and the view was just as magnificent as I remembered. Given that it’s the start of fall there wasn’t any snow on the mountains, but the water was blue and the air was clean. After having time to explore, we had a small snack with wine or juice before going to San José de Maipo, a small town on the way back to Santiago. We walked around the main square, and it was nice seeing the handicrafts for sale.
Besides those day trips, I’ve enjoyed going out around Santiago. There’s a cat café in Barrio Italia called El Mundo de Dali, and you can enjoy a drink and snack in a space where cats up for adoption play and roam. The staff is very friendly, and there is cat-themed food.
A few weeks ago a former student of mine had an art exhibition. It was cool to see the work that he has done and everything he has been working towards, especially after having studied in the States and returning to Chile. Some other friends were able to make it, and it was a nice evening out.
Other than that, I enjoy having friends over to share a meal or play videogames or Settlers of Catan. I really enjoy bringing people together, and the last meeting was on Saturday. I taught the group to play Settlers of Catan, and they really got into it. Something tells me that we will be meeting again to play sometime soon.
As I think about these activities, I have come to really consider the cost. If I’m taking a day trip and the price is reasonable, I will probably go in order to enjoy the experience. I don’t typically like eating out in a large group of people, as your experience is largely dependent on the quality of the food and service, and you can’t necessarily talk with everyone and then have to figure out the bill. I find having people over and cooking or doing a potluck to be much more enjoyable with no pressure to finish a meal or figuring out the bill, and you can also combine it with some board games or videogames. It also feels like you have a more authentic connection to people, and it just feels different when everyone brings something to contribute; there is work and dedication to the friendship involved, and we are present in each other’s lives.
These things can take time and effort to plan, but not all things have to be that way. One thing that I find helpful is meeting up with friends between classes for coffee or a meal. Usually it’s one on one, and we can catch up and talk about what’s happening in our classes. Having a break in the day is refreshing, especially if you have a long day with lots of traveling around the city. This is one of the occasions that I do eat out and give myself as a treat; having someone wait on you and bring you food is a luxury that I enjoy in good company and sometimes on my own.
While I enjoy all these social activities, I also need to be sure to find the time to rest and recharge my batteries. Then of course there’s appropriately planning for my classes, cooking, cleaning, exercise, and all of the other things we’re supposed to be on top of as responsible adults. It’s a challenge for me, but I’m working on it.
I know it isn’t easy to maintain, but your social connections and relationships are so important for your health and well-being. Teaching can be a very isolating profession. Despite that, we need to take care of ourselves, find free-time activities we enjoy, and also connect with other teachers to share our struggles, challenges, and wins.
If you’re a teacher reading this, what are the things that you do to stay connected to others or to take care of yourself?
