Hello... anybody home?

Wow! It's been over a year since I've last posted on the blog, but here I am, once again.  I guess I can never really close this down for good.  It contains remnants of some of my most precious memories abroad and a time in my life I hold near and dear to my heart.

Since my last post in April of last year, I:

- took a work trip to Italy, which allowed me to meet with family I haven't seen in years
- ran my first half marathon in Lake Placid, NY
- started my final year of grad school
- flew down to New Orleans for a quick food-gorging getaway
- attended an International Ed conference down in Alexandria, VA
- visited Germany over Christmas into New Years to see family
- ended my work in student exchange to focus on my M.Ed. full time
- started and ended my practicum in Passaic Public Schools
- took a long awaited trip to Zion, Bryce, and Grand Canyon national parks out west
- completed and passed my state certification exams
- became an auntie again
- entered into my final year in my 20's... hit 29 and am already half way through!
- started spiralizing Zoodles and Swoodles in an attempt to eat healthier
- Konmari-ed my entire apartment to keep only the things that spark joy
- started reading real, physical books again (not including text books for grad school ;))
- set up a real-life Roth IRA account (phew, talk about finally entering adulthood)

It's funny how day to day, it always seems like time is flying, but when I think back on what has happened and who I was since my last post, I see and feel change much more deeply.  The short list barely touches the emotions tied to the last 365 days, feelings of joy and excitement, accomplishment, fear, worry... I find myself worried if I am making the right choices for the years ahead in terms of career path, in my relationships, in my physical, mental and financial health.

Am I doing things right?  Am I doing or not doing things I might regret in a few years time?

It's really hard to know.

I'd like to enter these next few months with low expectations (wait, hear me out) and just be grateful for the unknown.  It's freaking hard, and scary.  My first instinct is to plan and try to control life (at least fool myself into thinking I can control life) as much as possible... but when you stop and think about it, the unknown leaves space for change and for new developments.  The fact that I will be traveling again to a country I've never been before, ending my formal education (once and for all) and looking for a job again in the next few months leaves a lot of things out of my control, and I don't know how things will look by the time my 30th birthday rolls around in December... but maybe that's a good thing, because it leaves the door open for opportunities.

So, here's to the unknown days of 2016, and whatever they may bring.

Back to the Blog

Life has been so busy since moving back to the United States, that I find I rarely stop and reflect on things the way I used to.  I feel myself craving moments of silence to just be lost somewhere, out in nature or even just in a foreign environment, a new street, perhaps, to heighten my senses to the world around me. 
 
Two weeks ago, I started a new job, working in the field of international education.  A job that puts me in front of a screen for even more hours per day and keeps my mind busier with thoughts than before.  It's what I wanted, the position I mean, but it has been a bitter-sweet start.  I left the field of teaching, which I have been doing for over five years, and which I loved so very much--especially working with my adult students.

When I moved back to the US from Korea, I wanted to find work in the study abroad field, which seemed like a good fit based on my experiences and interests. But as much as I looked and applied, all I got was an offer for an unpaid internship in Boston, so when this company offered me a position, literally fifteen minutes from my house, it was hard to turn it down.

It's way too premature to come to any conclusions about the new job, but it is a change, and if life has taught me nothing else, it's that change is necessary and good.

In other news, this month is TWO YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN BACK IN THE UNITED STATES!


Since being back:

- I've moved--twice--and am now somewhat "settled" in an apartment that I swore I wouldn't move out of for at least two years more... Let's see if I can keep that promise to myself ;).

-  I started my MA in Education, which has been a long-time goal and desire of mine, and feel super fortunate to have been selected to be part of TCNJ's program, which subsidizes the insane cost of grad school in the US (another post for another day).

-  I have started running... and running... and running... and am working my way up to my first half marathon this year.  Even though I ran track in high school, I actually hated the running experience up until very recently. It started with an obstacle 5k race that I did with some friends (that I couldn't even run the whole way through), yet enjoyed the energy and experience so much, that I decided to do another 5k, and then I did another and another and then a 10k and even started off 2015 with a 4 mile run through Central Park at midnight in the freezing cold.  My PR is 10 miles, but it has been hard to train during this typically unbearable Northeast winter.  Trying my best to keep it up.

-  Took a German course as a refresher, but realized that trying to keep up German in the US is kind of pointless as it is really not useful here, at least it hasn't been in the ESL classroom in the US ;) and so finally (now that I'm not working evenings anymore teaching), I signed up for a Spanish class--which starts this month!  Excited to be studying a new language!

- Visited Texas twice, North Dakota once, took a road trip to Montreal, a couple more road trips along the east coast, and one very short trans-Atlantic trip to Germany over Thanksgiving week in 2013 to visit family (which was way too short of a time for such a big expense and undertaking).


I guess that somewhat sums it up, at least on a superficial level.

Originally, I planned on starting a totally new blog, on a new website, but somehow found my way back here.  So, no promises, but let's see if I can get myself back into writing a bit more in 2015.

One of my favorite memories from last year, watching sunrise at the Jersey shore, along with an audience of sea gulls.