It’s been a little over a year since I accepted a job teaching overseas.

I don’t even know where to begin or how to begin.

It’s been full of ups and downs. I’ve had some good days and bad days. The hardest days have been after I sent my daughter to the states. This is the first time we’ve apart for this extended period of time. She went to states on May 9 and I won’t see her again until July 15. I’ve been without my baby for a weekend, a couple of hours and a week but a whole month and half. When I dropped her off at the airport I wanted to cry but I didn’t want to upset her. My brother told me she silently cried on the plane for about an hour and half. I speak to her daily. Thank goodness for video chat. My next hardest days were the deaths in the family. Elise lost her grandpa and that was hard to process for various reasons. There were some people from my home church who died. Funerals are needed for closure and I am unable to do that. Missing Thanksgiving and Christmas was hard but I didn’t cry and mope around about it.

I have enjoyed my job and teaching once again. The students are the same as they would have been in the states. The biggest difference is I don’t have anyone breathing down my neck behind performance. I don’t stress about planning and people coming into my classroom judging. I don’t take any work home. I am able to plan at school and gather my materials ALL at school. I love my TA. I stay to myself concerning my co-workers. I’m not that person. I’m not here to change the world. I’m not even really here to make friends (at work).

Homeschooling was a journey in and of itself. However at the end of the school year and through assessments my daughter is above grade level in math and reading. She will continue doing school work over the summer. 

Travel has been amazing. We’ve been to Thailand, London, and Dubai. I travelled to Kenya and Tanzania. 

I am looking forward to next school year and everything else.