Virginia Beach: The spontaneity of travel plans never existed before remote teaching.
Whenever my sister, a flight attendant with amazing travel perks, calls to ask if I want to catch a layover flight with her, I ask “Where are we going?”
This trip was a 36-hour layover to Norfolk and Virginia Beach.
With a tight schedule that included teaching two lessons between flights and exploring the city, we managed to make the most of our short stay in this charming coastal destination.
Arrival in Norfolk: Lessons in Transit
Our adventure began as we touched down in Norfolk. I, a high school English teacher, and my sister, a seasoned flight attendant, had synchronized our schedules to make the most of this layover. As soon as we checked into the elegant Westin hotel (another flight attendant travel perk), I set up my makeshift classroom in our cozy room, equipped with all the materials (laptop namely) I needed to conduct two online lessons during the trip.
Teaching on the Fly: Finding Inspiration
Teaching between flights may seem unconventional, but it's a testament to the flexibility and adaptability that comes with the teaching profession. I found inspiration in the unfamiliar surroundings, infusing my lessons with anecdotes of our travels, which seemed to engage my high school-age students enough to ask questions, or perhaps they were just delaying my lecture.
I need very little prep time for lessons on the go because the online teaching companies that I work for provide all the content and materials I need for sessions. The teaching resources and lessons are always sent to me ahead of time, and the flight provided an excellent opportunity to look over the materials. All I have to do is share my knowledge and instruction of the lesson with my students each time I log in.
Savoring the Local Cuisine:
Our appetites were whetted by the salty sea air, and we decided to treat ourselves to a delectable seafood lunch at the Ocean House Waterfront Seafood Restaurant. Nestled along the water's edge, this charming eatery offered a menu that celebrated the bounty of the sea. We indulged in succulent crab cakes, buttery crab legs, and the freshest oysters, all while gazing out at the serene waterscape. Clinging our glasses of lemon drop martini and tequila sunrise, we said a cheerful toast to our successfully spontaneous sisterly getaway! We braved a brisk walk on the beach following our meal. The sun was shining beautifully but with the temperature near freezing and the wind chill blowing the beach was deserted. After posing for pictures, we could see or feel why. We snapped our forever memory shots, and ran for cover from the wind back between the gift shops and other restaurants that lined the boardwalk.
Later, after a little gift shopping, we Ubered back to the Norfolk area where our hotel was, and wandered into Cinnaholic for a sweet treat. This fun restaurant- apparently featured on Shark Tank according to the sign in the store, is a build-your-own cinnamon roll shop, similar to the concept of Mod or Subway. We each ordered one, but when our number was called, I noticed an extra box in the bag. I questioned my sister about the extra roll we got before leaving the store, and my sister quickly pushed the bonus roll back into the bag and told me never to question the gift of an employee's mistake. The two of us and our three cinnamon rolls headed back to the hotel room where we devoured almost all of them.
After teaching two lessons that evening, we headed out one last time to walk around the city of Norfolk and grab some food and drinks. Yardhouse was a short walk from The Westin and was a lively place to be on a chilly evening. The restaurant was busy but the vibe was relaxed, so we settled in at the bar and ordered a red wine sangria for me and another lemon drop martini for sis. We shared cheese curds and good conversation before heading back to the room. Our turnaround flight would come early and we had a busy day.