Tacos over Summer Professional Training

As a history teacher at Holland High School, I take pride in being organized, reliable, and a bit Type A. Throughout the year, I meticulously plan my lessons, activities, and everything else that I have going on while teaching high school students. I have spent the last 180 days giving 100% of my time to my craft, so by mid-June, I am ready to relax and enjoy myself doing nothing.

This year, just as school was about to be out, I received an email offering to increase my summer pay ($5,000, to be exact) without teaching students, if I participated in my district’s two-week new teacher training. As each of the two summer planning sessions, ten days long, appeared on my calendar, I immediately added them to my “maybe” to-do list with a mental sigh and a sticky note that said, “Growth mindset, maybe.”

I finished getting all of my signatures on my checkout list, loaded my car, and prepared for the last day of school, where I could tell my “see you laters” to my colleagues after we enjoy the summer.

That night, as I was queuing up what I was going to watch on Netflix, I started to think about what I could do with that amount of money. I could retile my kitchen, pay to have my back porch redone, and more.

The only problem? I get this itch every year.  

The itch I get every June when my school supplies start to dwindle and my teacher tote bag starts collecting permission slips and candy wrappers instead of lesson plans. I love teaching, but I also love traveling. And this year, the idea of sitting through two weeks of PD in a stuffy school didn’t spark any joy with me.

So, I did what any slightly rebellious teacher would do—I opened my laptop and pulled up two tabs:

Tab 1: “2025 Summer Planning Sessions Registration”
Tab 2: “Top National Parks to Visit This Summer”

The next thing I knew, I was elbow-deep in trail guides, Airbnb listings, and a taco tour of Mexico City. I could hear my inner voice battling it out:

Responsible Teacher 1: “Think of the pacing guides, the alignment work, the mentorship, the data dives!”
Adventurous Janelle 2: “Think of wildflowers in Yosemite, sunrises in Banff, and tacos al pastor on the streets of Condesa!”

I stared at my teacher planner. On the front, it read: “You can’t pour from an empty cup.”

Boom. Decision made. I was going on vacation.

Yellowstone National Park

Yellowstone National Park was my first stop. I watched steam hiss from geysers and bison casually block traffic while I munched trail mix in awe. I FaceTimed my best friend Monique from a wooden bench near Old Faithful.

“Girl, I think I’m becoming one with nature,” I whispered dramatically.
Monique rolled her eyes. “You’re literally wearing a ‘National Parks Are My Love Language’ hoodie.”

At night, I journaled in my cozy cabin, watching Netflix and laughing aloud at how quiet life felt when it didn’t involve grading or bell schedules.

I spent the next ten days driving from Wyoming to California via I-80, eating at small cafes, taking photographs, and journaling on Instagram during my journey.

Yosemite National Park

Being in Yosemite was pure magic. At Glacier Point, I struck up a conversation with a retired science teacher from Oregon.

“What do you teach?” she asked, offering me a granola bar.
“High school history. Escaped the PD grind this summer,” I said proudly.
She smiled. “Good for you. These views are their own kind of professional development.”

We toasted with lukewarm coffee from our thermoses—teacher bonding.

I spent a week in Yosemite, camping and enjoying nature, before heading to Nevada for the Grand Canyon.

Grand Canyon

Then came my two weeks at the Grand Canyon, it was HOT, like almost dying hot. But I hiked part of the Bright Angel Trail and took a triumphant selfie with the canyon stretching behind me. I couldn’t resist texting it to our Holland High group chat:
“Learning about erosion… in real time.”

That night, I stayed in a tiny Airbnb with a rooftop view. I streamed a cheesy rom-com, ate gas station snacks, and scribbled down all the ways I could use my travels in the classroom. “The Westward Expansion Unit is about to hit different,” I wrote.

Banff National Park

Thankfully, I didn’t think I could drive to Banff National Park in Canada, so I was able to fly out of Las Vegas to see this beauty in the vast land of North America’s other part.

Somehow, I found myself hopping a flight to Banff National Park in Canada. Lake Louise resembled a meticulously edited postcard. I nearly cried from the beauty (and from the altitude). I called my department chair.

“You really went international on us,” he laughed.
“I did. And I brought a new unit on Canadian-American trade relations with me,” I joked.

Mexico City

I spent a week in Banff and, after taking multiple flights, flew into Mexico City on a steamy Sunday evening.

Mexico City was like landing in a cultural hub that was full of flavor, culture, and love. I joined a taco tour that felt like a culinary dream come true. I ate carnitas on a sidewalk while a mariachi band played behind me and thought: This is what recharging feels like.

I even posted an Instagram reel with the caption: Professional development? Try professional enjoyment. 🌮

Five vacations that took up the majority of my summer, but recharged my battery and made me realize that without the summer “off” I could not function the other 9 months of the year.

Back to School

Back at Hollands High in September, my students were quick to notice.

“Ms. Evans, you’re glowing,” one said.
“Must’ve been all the vitamin D and tortillas,” I replied.

That year, I infused our curriculum with photos, stories, and yes—taco metaphors. My students were more engaged. I was more energized. And when my colleagues asked if I was doing the summer sessions again next year?

I just smiled and replied, “Only if they’re held at the Grand Canyon… or a taco stand.”