My Blank Canvas aka: My First Office

One of the MOST exciting things about your first job is seeing where you will be working. When I first toured my new school, I was chomping at the bit to see where I would be meeting with students, running groups, and spending most of my days. As my Principal was showing the new hires around, he stopped in front of Rm. 15 and said, "And Sara, this is where you will be..". As a new counselor, I had never felt something so exciting in my life. I felt tears swelling in my eyes and butterflies in my stomach. I had met a new friend and it was love at first site...my office. Of course, my automatic reaction was, "I have to decorate!" I want things on the wall, bulletin boards, posters, things from target to make my office inviting to students, etc. Then I was hit with the reality:

1. I am in a foreign country where Target is non-existent. (After only being in Vietnam for about a week at the time of seeing my office, I was unsure of where the nearest grocery store was...let alone a place where I could find some snazzy things for my office). 
2. The only things I brought from the United States are clothes and other things I couldn't use to decorate my space. 
3. I have no idea where to even start.
4. I need help.

Though it was challenging, exhausting, and took quite some time (my office still looks a bit bare compared to other rooms in the building...I finally feel like I can call my space "home" (yes, yes, I know...it's an office but still).

  

We have glass walls at the front of the room so I had to create a private area where I could meet with students one-on-one and during mediation groups. My students actually call this area my "VIP" area.



I know my room is still a work in progress and I am excited to see how different it will look by the end of the year!