First day jitters

Yes, friends it is the name of the book most of the fourth grade teachers are going to read the first day of school... and that is what I had yesterday at my first day of school!! When I walked in to Skipcha (pronounced Skipshaw) I was greeted by no one, yet there were lots and lots of teachers (mostly females) talking very loudly, and asking each other about their summers, vacations, kids, hubby's and etc. I found a table and sat down, waiting for someone familiar to talk to me, and to try and settle my nerves. I looked in vane for a familiar face. I was interviewed by three ladies, one being an assistant principal, and I could find none of them. Then to my great relief, someone I knew introduced me to the fourth grade teachers. They are all nice. There are 7 teachers, one resource teacher, and me the aide, that they haven't had in a year! Needless to say they were happy to meet me. The person that is above me, and basically my boss, is nice, yet a little lost herself, because she worked with kindergarten, and first grade last year, so she is new too... I proceed to have a very interesting presentation by the principal who is fun, full of energy, and a deep southern drawl. She is great, I really like her. After the team building exercise, lunch, and the district belief DVD, we are on our own, to do whatever. Since I am under Mrs R (to protect the innocent) I have helped her move stuff around in her office, and she tells me to hang out, she has to talk to someone. An hour later she comes back shocked that I am still there and i am thinking, you told me to say here. (while there for an hour i am thinking about how i don't know where anything is and if some little kid asks me where the bathroom is they are going to pee their pants before I can find it for them!) SO she says she is late for an appointment, and that she needs me to shred papers till 4 then clock out. (p.s. i think i single handedly broke the shredder...oops!) I am thinking, no one said anything about clocking in! I told her that i didn't clock in, and no one told me to.
So, my first day was fun, and education, and scary all at once. The moral of today's story is: Teacher's aides should have some sort of orientation and a map to feel at ease with their new jobs!!! (that's all it would have taken for me!) More first day jitters to come, when the kids start next week!