Everything moves slower here- the drivers, the service in restaurants, the speech... I was startled to realize that I am in The South! Yesterday I visited First State NHP in Dover, then Harriet Tubman and Assateague National Seashore, which are both in Maryland. Assateague is actually half in Maryland, half in Virginia. So yes, that is definitely The South! I’ve just been in the northeast for so long that I didn’t even notice switching regions.
They had the state house set up to look like an old-school courtroom.
(This is where the state senate used to meet.)
I was so excited when I saw this fireplace. Hopewell! It was made at Hopewell Furnace, which I visited the day before!
But the best part of this stop was the man showing me around. When he heard that I’m a teacher, he told me he had been a struggling reader and about the teacher who had changed everything for him and turned him into a reader. I had just been thinking about work that morning, trying to decide if my plan for this year is what’s best for my kids. This guy basically repeated my plan to me and said that’s what worked for him. What an affirmation! It’s getting to be that time of year where I’m starting to think about teaching and my goals for this year and what I want to read with my kids. I’m also starting to think about things I want to do around my apartment and what kind of Christmas ornaments I want to make this year. This is how I know I’m just about ready for the summer to wrap up. But at the same time, I’m having so much fun and don’t want to go home!
This was supposed to be a life-sized bust of Harriet. I took off my shoes for this picture to compare heights and was excited that she was actually shorter than me! But I just did some Googling, and the museum got it wrong... Harriet was 5’2,” and I’m 5’1.”
First State NHP was not super exciting, and I didn’t expect it to be. I visited the Old State House and learned about how Delaware was the first state to ratify the Constitution. They signed at this tavern:
They had the state house set up to look like an old-school courtroom.
(This is where the state senate used to meet.)
I was so excited when I saw this fireplace. Hopewell! It was made at Hopewell Furnace, which I visited the day before!
The whole town square was super cute and still functional; one of these buildings is the state Supreme Court of Delaware.
But the best part of this stop was the man showing me around. When he heard that I’m a teacher, he told me he had been a struggling reader and about the teacher who had changed everything for him and turned him into a reader. I had just been thinking about work that morning, trying to decide if my plan for this year is what’s best for my kids. This guy basically repeated my plan to me and said that’s what worked for him. What an affirmation! It’s getting to be that time of year where I’m starting to think about teaching and my goals for this year and what I want to read with my kids. I’m also starting to think about things I want to do around my apartment and what kind of Christmas ornaments I want to make this year. This is how I know I’m just about ready for the summer to wrap up. But at the same time, I’m having so much fun and don’t want to go home!
The Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Musuem was full of beautiful art that told her story. Overall, I enjoyed the site in New York more because of Ranger Paul and his gifted storytelling skills; I learned so much at that park! This site didn’t teach me as much, but I enjoyed the art. I think it would be cool if they had tours that showed you what it was like to be on the Underground Railroad.
This was supposed to be a life-sized bust of Harriet. I took off my shoes for this picture to compare heights and was excited that she was actually shorter than me! But I just did some Googling, and the museum got it wrong... Harriet was 5’2,” and I’m 5’1.”
Assateague National Seashore was everything I hoped for! It stopped raining when I got there and I even saw a little bit of sun! There were also babies everywhere- baby bunnies, baby deer, baby horses... (The island is famous for their wild horses.) It was so nice to relax on the beach with a good book.
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