One Very Hard Decision

Yesterday I made the conscious decision to leave the Peace Corps.

It was truly one of the hardest decisions I have ever had to make.

I know what most of you are thinking....but you just started! I know this but I came to the realization rather quickly once I was there. It just wasn't for me. Not at this time in my life.

From the beginning I had not been truly excited about moving to China to teach English to university students. I hoped that once I reached staging and pre-service training that the excitement would kick in. 

It never did. I feel as though I let myself get swept up and never actually sat and thought, "Is this really what I want to do?" My heart just wasn't in it. 

My true passion is teaching elementary school, not university students. The more and more I learned about the job the less excited I was. I knew that this lack of enthusiasm was not fair to my furutre students or community. I've had less than enthusiastic teachers, it was not fun.

I also came to the realization that I would be 25 when I finished and would still have to finish my masters. I don't want to wait that long to start my career. 

What excites me and makes me happy right now is the thought of finishing my degree and either teaching at an elementary school or finding a job with an international aid organization in NYC, DC, or London. So that is exactly what I am going to do!

In the end I had to do what was right for me. I have to do what makes me happy.

Life is too short to just "get through it".

I treasure the short time I had in the Peace Corps. It truly is a great organization.

I also treasure the friends I made during that short time. They supported me through the process of making the decision and continue to support me, despite the fact that they are on the other side of the world. They truly are great people!

I made it!

Well.....I finally made it!

I'm in China!

After two days (ish) in Chicago, all 83 (ish) volunteers boarded our 13 hour flight to Beijing. After some confusion and some rushing through the airport, we made it on to our flight to Chengdu, just barely.

At the moment we are in a pretty nice hotel in Chengdu. We go to sessions from 9a-3p everyday, including an hour and a half of Mandarin lessons. My Chinese name is Wàng Lèlè (pronounced W-ah-ng Luh-luh), meaning joyful and optimistic. I'm not so sure this fits but maybe I can grow into it.

So far I haven't had any food I didn't like. I am super relieved by this as I tend to be very picky about the food I eat. Mom, you would be proud to know that I have at least tried everything that has been put in front of me. Even tofu, which after eating it, was reminded of why I'm not a fan.

Tomorrow we will get our training site assignments. This is where we will be for the next two months while we continue to learn Mandarin and live with a host family. We move there the next day, Tuesday. Nothing like jumping in feet first! Living with a host family is what I am most nervous about. 

So....hopefully I'll have a chance to update tomorrow with some info. about my home for the next two months. Until next time, zài jiàn, or goodbye!

My bags are packed.....

And I'm ready to go.

It's finally that time! 

In the morning I'm headed to Chicago for two days and then on to CHINA!!!

I don't know what my internet situation will be over the next few months so we will see how the blog does. 

Wish me luck.....here goes nothing!

Tough Decision

In one corner the Nook Color.....

And in the other, the Kindle.

I have succumbed to the e-reader trend.

As much as I love real books I have decided that I need an e-reader for China. Packing two years worth of books is not plausible and after reading some blogs it looks like English books are pretty hard to come by in the PRC. 

So....I need your help internets!

Which one would you choose?

Which one do you have?

I'm Still Alive....I Promise

I know it's been 4 months since I've updated the blog. Let me provide you all with a recap: Work....School....Read for School.....Write Paper for School......Sleep....Rinse and Repeat. You get the idea. Super exciting right? Yeah, that's why I haven't been writing, I didn't want to put anyone into a boredom coma.

But, remember that whole possibly joining the Peace Corps thing? Yeah well it's really happening! Last Friday I officially accepted an invitation to be a Teacher Trainer in The People's Republic of China! 

On June 29th I will be moving to China for two years! Or 27 months! Or 835 days (according to my visa application)! However you want to look at it.

I am super excited and can.not.wait! But, it means I have a lot to do in the next three months. Part of this time will be taken up by a week in Montreal for a school conference and a week vacation with the fam in Ireland. So in the month of June I will finish up my summer class, spend a week in Ireland, move out of my place in Tallahassee and move to China. Crazy! But I love it! 

bad blogger

Again with the month long absence from the blog. Ugh! I have become the worst blogger lately!

But...not to worry...school is over and so I have more time. For a bit. A little under one month to be exact. 

On the school front, I have successfully completed my first semester of graduate school with flying colors! All A's for me! One of my papers even landed on a list of the best in the class in my International Development Education class! If any of you out there want to read a paper about Child Soldier's just let me know. What....no one? Yeah, that's what I thought. 

One positive of an ever changing school schedule is an ever changing work schedule. My new work schedule now includes two days that allow me to sleep in until a whopping 7am! It is so sad that I consider 7am sleeping in these days. Oh how I wish for the days as an undergrad. Sleeping until noon, going to the elementary art methods class (yes, we made paper mache puppets in that class, don't judge me) at 1pm, and then lounging around and doing nothing for the rest of the day. Oh to be young again!

Oh yeah and big news! I was officially nominated for the Peace Corps! All that is in my way is the medical and legal clearances. Woo hoo! I am on my way. My recruiter said that I might not know where I'm going until two months before I leave. Scary but exciting at the same time! 

I'll try to keep it going here on the ol' blog. Remember last month when I promised that same thing. This time will be different. Really. 

back from the dead

I am back from the dead! 

So we just won't talk about the fact that I took a big 'ol giant break from blogging.

I am back and I missed writing so I am excited to get back at it.

So, since I last graced you with my presence I have of course come back from NYC. 

I so wish I had still been in New York this whole time! 

Sadly I have not. I have started grad. school! 

And I landed a full time job! Hence the world's longest bloggy break. 

Needless to say my life has been a little crazy and busy!

I am really loving grad. school so far. I'm working towards my degree in the international education development field. Basically we are learning to save the world one child at a time. My degree will eventually include a 2-year stint in the Peace Corps. As a matter of fact I turned in my application for the Peace Corps last week! Exciting!

Goodness it feels good to be back!