For the first time in my life, I've entered a transitional phase where I am not only hopeful but fearful. Never before have I quit a job without having another job already lined up. The ease with which I've found finding a job internationally makes it all the more frightening to attempt to move back to the States in the recession and poor economy. At times I find myself thinking, "What the hell am I doing?" but am quickly reassured that I'm making the right decision when I think about all I'm looking forward to come summertime and beyond.
But needless to say, it was hard to resign from a job that I enjoy so much. In Puerto Rico, I loved my life on the island and my ability to go to the beach at whim, but I didn't love my job, per se (there were definitely things I enjoyed a great deal but I didn't jump out of bed eager to go to work on a daily basis). In Spain, it's quite the opposite. I love my job, the challenge and stimulation it provides me everyday, how much I learn from my coworkers and my students, but I don't enjoy my day to day life in Madrid. It's hard to live in a place where you constantly feel as if you have to be "on" in order to communicate, protect yourself, travel from one place to another, etc. I get home after a nearly 12 hour day, each day, mentally and emotionally drained. To be honest, I think I might go crazy if I didn't know I was leaving in 5 months (exactly!).
Who knows if I'll ever get to a place in my life where I love my job and love my life simultaneously but I will be constantly seeking it out until I do! I should be hearing back about grad school acceptances in the coming weeks, I have applications in to a few public school districts, I have a head hunter looking for jobs in the private school sector, and I'll be coming back to Portland the week before my spring break (April 9-16) to attend a 2-day job fair and hopefully set up some interviews and/or look for an apartment to move into July 1. It'll be a very busy next few months, so keep your fingers crossed!
And it wouldn't be life in Europe if I wasn't traveling! I've tried to plan a trip every few weeks to keep my mind off of things and to see the last few corners of Europe that I've been dying to get to before I move away. As I always say, if anyone is ever in this neck of the woods or if you'd like to do some traveling in the next few months and Spain is part of the intinerary, please let me know. My tour guide skills have gotten quite good over the past year and half, and my home is nice and cozy, just waiting for visitors!
Here's a few pictures of some of my closest friends in Madrid... the very reasons (and pretty much only reasons) it will be really hard to leave.
But needless to say, it was hard to resign from a job that I enjoy so much. In Puerto Rico, I loved my life on the island and my ability to go to the beach at whim, but I didn't love my job, per se (there were definitely things I enjoyed a great deal but I didn't jump out of bed eager to go to work on a daily basis). In Spain, it's quite the opposite. I love my job, the challenge and stimulation it provides me everyday, how much I learn from my coworkers and my students, but I don't enjoy my day to day life in Madrid. It's hard to live in a place where you constantly feel as if you have to be "on" in order to communicate, protect yourself, travel from one place to another, etc. I get home after a nearly 12 hour day, each day, mentally and emotionally drained. To be honest, I think I might go crazy if I didn't know I was leaving in 5 months (exactly!).
Who knows if I'll ever get to a place in my life where I love my job and love my life simultaneously but I will be constantly seeking it out until I do! I should be hearing back about grad school acceptances in the coming weeks, I have applications in to a few public school districts, I have a head hunter looking for jobs in the private school sector, and I'll be coming back to Portland the week before my spring break (April 9-16) to attend a 2-day job fair and hopefully set up some interviews and/or look for an apartment to move into July 1. It'll be a very busy next few months, so keep your fingers crossed!
And it wouldn't be life in Europe if I wasn't traveling! I've tried to plan a trip every few weeks to keep my mind off of things and to see the last few corners of Europe that I've been dying to get to before I move away. As I always say, if anyone is ever in this neck of the woods or if you'd like to do some traveling in the next few months and Spain is part of the intinerary, please let me know. My tour guide skills have gotten quite good over the past year and half, and my home is nice and cozy, just waiting for visitors!
Here's a few pictures of some of my closest friends in Madrid... the very reasons (and pretty much only reasons) it will be really hard to leave.
Watching the Seahawks
Celebrating Birthdays
Our favorite bar
Blondies
Don't know what I'll do without these two
Streets of Madrid
Flamenco aprons
Good friends and good times together
Hope all's well in your corner of the world. Until next time... ~L
No comments:
Post a Comment