You Know That Dream Where You are at School in Your Underwear?

It was kind of like that.

I took the AEPA (AZ Educators Proficiency Exam) today. I actually took two of them. And the experience did not start well.

I left the house at about 6:45 AM. I figured that would give me enough time to get downtown, get situated and check in. The drive should only be about 40 minutes normally. And I figured since it was Saturday morning before 7 am, I would be all set. I was wrong. Very, very wrong.

It started on the highway where (because it was Saturday) they had closed all but one lane for about 5 miles. There went my coffee and gas stop. And then I got lost getting there. Yes, I have a GPS on my phone. And my car. Shut up. Who asked you? So I ended up calling Shawn in tears to help me get directions, about 20 minutes before the test was scheduled to start. I'm not positive, but I am fairly sure he was waiting by the phone for my call. I know this because I called the home phone in my panic and he should have been at basketball. But he was there, ready to assist me with his mad googling skills.

On the paper they sent me with the test information, it mentioned that parking was limited. That was the understatement of the century. I had to park (and I am not exaggerating) about a half mile away from the school where I was taking the test. I felt bad for the poor suckers who were still circling the parking lots thinking that there was going to be an actual space.

I got into the gym where the proctors told the group all the necessary procedures. And there seemed to be 1,000 people there. I later found out that there were actually 1,300, so I was not far off. I found my assigned classroom (farthest from the gym of course) and I found my assigned seat. I sat down and opened my purse to put my sunglass away and put on my regular glasses. My glasses were nowhere to be found. They had fallen out of my purse. I ended up having to take the entire exam in my sunglasses. Go me.

On thing that I did not have in my purse (on purpose) was my cell phone. There were very strict rules about cell phones. You weren't even allowed to have them turned off, in your purse and have your purse in the designated holding area. (The proctor in my second test told me that 3 people were asked to leave when their cell phones went off during the first test. Their scores were voided and they were asked to leave.)

The highlight of the first test was that my neighbor was sitting a row away from me in the same classroom. What are the odds?

After the test, I went and grabbed lunch. I got lost again but did find my regular glasses. They were on the floor of my car. I finally found my way back and met up with my classmates right before the test. It was good to see them. And in the sea of people, I was glad that we found each other. Moral support is essential when you are trapped in your own personal logic hell and you are expected to know all the answers.

The second test went well. I guess we will know in a few weeks.

So that was my day.

My brain hurts.