What a year it's been....

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Hi everyone,



It's been almost a year to the day since my last blog, I didn't plan it that way, but it happened to be that way. I haven't had any chance to travel since I've been here which is sad, but I've been to Colombia many times as a tourist and have seen a lot of the places that many people come here for so it's ok.

As I state on my profile the past year has been rough financially living and working here, but it has been a tremendous experience which I'll always be glad that I did make the choice to come back after a couple of years of traveling around the globe. For my own future in which I would like to retire in a few years, hopefully by my 40th I'd like to get my farm going and start working on my GMO-free seed organization before that time so I had to make a conscious decision whether to stay here and work until I'm 90 to save for this or go back to Asia where I can make the money needed in a much shorter time period, as many of you know who read my blogs I've never been a big fan of Asia, but as I think back to last year making the pay that I made there for virtually less work than here I feel like I may just appreciate Asia much more this time around. I've had the opportunity to work in my favorite country this year and I've met the best coworkers that I've ever worked with in any country and any school and the students are just awesome here (it helps I speak the language too) and I've thoroughly enjoyed living here, but I just can't see getting ahead here to the point where I can make my goals come to fruition so hence my decision to go back to 'Nam and the school I worked for last year so I'm pretty excited I must say...maybe it's just the thought of actually traveling again, maybe it's the thought that I will make in one month there that it takes 5-6 months to make here, maybe it's the appreciation that's showed to teachers there and not here..I don't know. Now that I wrote that I think it's all of those lol.

For me I as some of you may know, I'm an atheist so obviously I don't believe in destiny, I believe the choices you make are your choices and they make the life that you lead more interesting, good or bad. Everyone has the power to change your own life and circumstances with the decisions you make. This was a very hard choice to leave this amazing country, but it's a rational one in my opinion if I want to achieve my goals. So tomorrow I'm headed to Bogotá and sleep at the airport to catch my flight to LA again and visit 2 of my most favorite people on this Earth, I met them traveling in Costa Rica in 2010 and the last time I saw them was in 2012 in LA before I left to start my teaching career abroad in which they threw a big going away party for me. So, in these 4 years a lot has changed for them and for me...they now have 2 kids, a new house on the beach, great jobs, they've been on the wagon since having kids lol and I've traveled all around the globe while teaching in 6 different countries, I've had the time of my life meeting awesome people and seeing things I would never have imagined seeing in my life to this point. For someone like me who comes from where I come from and growing up in section 8 public housing until I was 21, welfare and from a single parent home in which my mother had been disabled all of my life to be doing what I'm doing is an accomplishment in my eyes. So now in a few years I'll be 40 and I've always set the goal of retiring in a peaceful place in the countryside (not in my country of course) living the simple small farming life and I just cannot make that happen here in Colombia, so hence my decision to go back to Asia.

I don't honestly know if I'll ever be back over this way again as there is so much more I'd like to see in Asia and saving money for my small organization and my farm is a top priority for me now.

I just wanted to put some words out there because it's been a year now. Colombia you'll ALWAYS be the best until you aren't anymore, I've had a tough year, but I can say I would not have wanted it to be in any other place but here! Thanks a ton everyone and I'll see you next week Asia!



Safe travels everyone thanks for reading!

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Comments

[RENanDREW]

Wow - big changes!
Good to hear of your upcoming adventures Greg, and of your love for Colombia. Safe travels and hope to hear more from you about your return to Vietnam :)

[D MJ Binkley]

A series of choices
Education comes from the choices we make. Sounds like you've weighed the strengths of your long and short term goals. Glad you are writing again. Glad you had a wonderful teaching experience.

[cabochick]

Very fascinated by your plans to start a GMO free seed organization! Cool idea. I have a degree in horticulture and love to talk sustainable farming and all that jazz. Cheers and good luck in Vietnam!