The next steps

As I sit in Seattle airport waiting for my next flight, I thought I would address some of the questions, comments, and concerns sent my way in the last 24 hours.

First off, I absolutely do not view this experience as a failure. While it did not go the way I imagined, frankly, what does? I mean, I didn't exactly imagine when I got a BA in English that I'd spend three years at a helpdesk, did I? Regardless of what exactly happened - which was basically just a complete communication breakdown between me, Janet, and the recruiter - I had the cajones to voluntarily turn my life upside down, move to the other side of the planet, and try something I had never done before. While not everything I try succeeds, I think the point is that I tried.

That said, I did get some really valuable and memorable experiences out of this. I made a true friend in Cleo and I discovered a lot about who am I and what I want out of my life and my career. I figured out that I can get over fish that have heads and that I do actually like oysters. And I realized that, you know what? I really like being in the United States.

I really don't know what I am going to do next. The immediate plan is to fly to Dallas and spend some time with my family, decompressing and working out the details. I still think that getting my teaching cert is a good idea, and that 4th and 5th grade is where I want to be. I plan to return to Richmond soon, because really, I can't stay away from my second family but for so long.

Thank you all for your support, encouragement, and well wishes. ALL my love, and thanks for reading.