Today was my first day. Marc and I got up around 6. We enjoyed our usual morning routine of coffee while Marc watched the news and I played around on the computer for a bit before showering, getting the girls up and ready, and eating breakfast while walking out the door.
I arrived with plenty of time to spare and gave everyone hugs and kisses and walked into the building. I bypassed the long line of students in the lobby who were waiting to receive their schedules and headed to my classroom. There I found that the room we were scheduled to meet in had changed to another location. I found the classroom and settled into my chosen seat- front and center.
One of the things I appreciate most about AI is that they focus so much on professionalism. That being said, the staff is still warm and friendly. Becca walked by at one point and gave me a big smile and a wink. A few minutes later, she came into the classroom and came over and gave me a big hug and asked how my first day was going. I appreciated that she really remembered me and that I wasn't just one of the other faces.
As I stated above, I really am thankful that AI is so focused on professionalism. They demand it from us and they lead by example. Their uniforms are always clean and pressed and they expect the same from us. Their goal is to get us through this journey with as many skills and as much marketability as possible. I love that they talk already about getting jobs. I love that this school is so well known for their quality of students that they turn out. I love that there are a million opportunities to get involved in things. They really have made it where you can get as MUCH out of this experience as you want to.
Another thing that really thrills me is that the teachers have so much passion. Many times in life you see people come out of school with so much fire for their profession: doctors, lawyers, teachers, etc. Many times they have such ideas about what they are going to accomplish. Somewhere down the line, though, it seems that many of them lose that spark and they just go about their jobs only feeling that what they are doing is a JOB. These teachers at AI have so much fire and passion in them still. Most are of the older demographic but they still talk about cooking with so much enthusiasm that it makes you sit on the edge of your seat and have your eyes locked on them the entire time they are speaking. Maybe it's just that I am so excited and thrilled myself that they affect me this way. Maybe they are just that good. Either way, I am loving it.
At one point, Chef Mattern came in with the Dean and told us that the skills class I was to take on Wednesday and Thursday was over registered and they needed 8 people to switch to Intro to Pastry. My hand was the first up. As many of you know, pastry is my favorite. I must admit that I had an additional ulterior motive of Layla's birthday coming up and hope that I aquire some wonderful fondant skills before I make her cake, but aside from that, I still would have volunteered.
So now my schedule is as follows:
Monday 7-12 Intro to Pastry
1-4 Sanitation and Safety
Tuesday 7-12 Intro to Pastry
Friday 1-4 Concepts and Theories to Culinary Techniques
I have the same credit hours as before, they are just on three days instead of 4 and I only have two mornings. It still works out well as far as the girls go so I am thrilled with the schedule change.
In the midst of all this, I became known to the Dean and Chef Mattern as more than just a name on a sheet of paper. They were thrilled that I was the first of only three to volunteer to change my schedule and unhappy that more people didn't. I also had to hang around after class to wait for my revised schedule, so I also got a chance to make small talk with the Sanitation and Safety teacher. Connections can only help me at this point and I definitely am getting a great start on that.
Tomorrow is my first pastry class! I am even more excited, if possible, than I was last night.
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