Blog #1: Meet Mrs. Valenzuela

Hello All!

This is your English teacher, Mrs. Valenzuela. Welcome to my blog! Let me explain a little as to why I am not starting the school year off with you. To put it quite simply... I am expecting a baby girl! By the time you read this, she will have already been born. But for now, she's still cooking in my belly. I will be on maternity leave until late-September or early-October (I will let you know exact date soon!). Until then, you are under the care of Mr. Lang, an amazing substitute teacher who has graciously agreed to cover my classroom and teach all of you everything you need to be learning while I am away.

I ask that you check up on this blog weekly so you can get to know me virtually. I can't wait to get to know each and every one of you when I begin teaching! But for now, at the very least you can get to know me. I will be posting a new blog a minimum of once a week.

Alright, ya'll. Stay posted on here. I will be sharing photos of Baby Valenzuela soon. Cause who doesn't love babies?! (And if you don't love babies, at least love mine. A million extra credit points if you love my baby.)

Sincerely,
Mrs. Valenzuela

My Life in Photos

Our Wedding Video

I love sharing our wedding video. Hernan and I got married here in Merced on September 26, 2015-- just last year! Our wedding was absolutely perfect.

Facts About Mrs. Valenzuela

Name: Selenni Valenzuela (Mrs. Valenzuela to you!)
Birth Place: Merced, CA (like many of you)
Siblings: Estella (older) and Rafael (younger). Estella is a lawyer for workers rights in Fresno (she went to Stanford for college and Yale for her law degree; she's legit). Rafa works at Starbucks here in Merced-- you might see him around!
Favorite Food: Posole, fries, and Pad Thai.
Favorite Song: Drops  of Jupiter by Train.
Favorite Band: Blink-182 (I'm going to see them in concert soon!)
Favorite Book: Hard to choose just one. Probably all of the Harry Potter series.
Favorite Quote: “Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.” - William Butler Yeats
Favorite Sports Teams: 49ers, Giants, Lakers. (And can you believe my husband is a Raider and Dodger fan?)
First Job: Believe it or not... My first job was in the fields. My parents are field workers, and they took me at the age of 13 to work in the blueberry fields and fig orchards. Talk about hard work out in the sun for ten hours a day. I've also worked in sweet potato fields
Alma Matter: UCLA (my heart and soul!) and Fresno State (Go Dogs!)
Places I've Traveled: Guanajuato, Mexico. London and Stratford-upon-Avon, England. Dublin and Howth, Ireland. New York. Boston, Massachusetts. Connecticut. Arizona. Virginia. Washingston, D.C.
Last Movie I Saw: Finding Dory