Take 3

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I quit my teaching job and moved to Chile. I have no concrete plans, no new job lined up, no idea where I'll end up living and yet surprisingly, no worries. I guess that officially qualifies me as a free spirit. Many people, including my previous principal, asked me why. Why would I up and shimmy over to a different country, on a different continent, with no definite plans under my belt? There are many reasons. It's hard to explain but around December of last year, I got this unshakable feeling that it was simply time for me to go. I not only wanted to move to Chile but I suddenly needed to. Many events pointed me towards that decision. There was an unequivocal urgency coursing though my veins. I got to the point where I felt like I literally COULD NOT spend another year in the U.S. I was the Mad Hatter without the hat. It was time to go.

One: I never considered having a career an anchor to tie me down to one location for the rest of my life. For many individuals, their career is a priority. It is the focal point of their lives. For me, that has never been so. I love teaching and I love children however teaching is only one facet of who I am. It is one of the many things that I enjoy doing and it is impactful. Unfortunately, maintaining a healthy work-life to home-life balance was a constant battle. It's exhausting working in a career that wants to consume you. Between hours of tutoring, meetings, after school events, parent contact, Saturday school, lesson planning, material preparation, and grading papers on Sundays, I was pooped! Many times there was no time to simply be me. I also enjoy dancing salsa at 2 A.M. What can I say? Teaching will be there when I get back! I have a life to live and I need to just "do me" for a minute.

Two: It's time for me to make a difference in another way. I have a passion for orphaned children and I want to either volunteer or work in an orphanage. I'm seriously over all the frenzy of test scores and brow-beating performance. Don't get me wrong. I'm proud of my students' accomplishments in academics. I worked MY butt off! They worked THEIR butts off! It was a privilege to help them succeed. I'm just tired of going from test to test. I want to take some time to love the whole child, cheering them on in all aspects of life, and not just academic ones. My friends tease me and say that I'm going to come back home with a little, light brown child! Ha-ha. They've got jokes!

Three: Life hit the fan last year for my host family. When Picha told me I cried heartily at the hair salon and wished that I could be with them. I won't get into details but my host mom isn't living here anymore. As a result, my host dad and siblings are hurting, dealing with things that they never asked for nor invited. It's pretty bad. When Papa Samuel, my host dad, found out that I was going to move to Chile, he offered to let me stay with them. Everyone is excited to have me here because they feel like my stay in the house will be a grand blessing to them. I'm thankful because I was going to ask to stay here for at least a month! I need time to find an apartment. Besides that, I've longed to spend time with them again. They're a blessing to me too. It's great being back here with them although it's odd that Mama Sussy isn't here. Things have changed so much. Picha moved out with her boyfriend Pablo. Isaac is traveling in the U.S., living it up, but he'll be back in three weeks. Elisabet and her son Marco are living here in the main house. Marco is turning five soon and he's grown a lot!

So...here I am in Chile for the 3rd time and those are the three main reasons. Take 3! Not to mention the oppressively small dating pool where I was (I worked with predominantly women), the persistent moral degradation in the U.S. (a public shooting every few months), and the amazing opportunity to appear on my favorite TV show eveeeeer!!! I won't mention which one it is now but I will when it's time! Know that I am beyond STOKED!! Those were all very motivating factors. I know that God has plans for me here although I'm not sure exactly what they are yet. It's okay though. I can't fathom what He will do but I know it will be just what I need. I'm living again!



~Always work to live. Do not live to work.

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Photos

Picha and I made a homemade pizza!
Really, I was making the pizza and she got bossy in the kitchen and took over...Haha I forgive her though. She studied culinary so she couldn't help herself!

Comments

[Dancing Dave]

Take 3
I am a firm believer that everyone after they leave school should continue higher education to "obtain a piece of paper" that shows to the World you are qualified to pursue a career, be it a trade, profession, vocation etc. Then you can do anything you like. As you have your "piece of paper" in teaching the World is your oyster. Chile is my "most beautiful place in the World". Go get it girl...may a piece of Chilean sand turn into a pearl for you.

[Chekeitha]

I agree wholeheartedly.
I've never thought of it that way before. I really appreciate that new perspective and your poetic way of expressing it! Thank you