Three months ago I flew to an International School job fair in Boston, not knowing what to think. I was pretty sure I was wasting my time and money, due to the fact that I had decided to join a friend of mine living in Rio de Janeiro. My thoughts at the time were: I am a young, single, enthusiastic professional; what would stop me from moving to Brazil? Yet, I had spent the money on registration and a flight so I decided to go. Besides, one can never have enough practice interviewing, right?
It turned out that I was granted, and had a fabulous interview, with an American International school in Accra, Ghana. (In fact, I had interviewed with the same school a year prior, at which time I was not offered a position). At the dinner social that first night, the principal I interviewed with suggested that I speak to the well reputed and well known head director. I did, and he mentioned that he was interested in a second interview but that he already had 9:00, 10:00, and 11:00 appointments the next day. I said I would take 8:00.
I woke up in my hotel room that next morning, wiggled my toes, and contemplated moving to Africa. My gut instinct was to call my mother. Of course, she could tell me what to do! Then, my wisdom, my experience, and my conscience grasped hold of me. No, I couldn't ask my mom, or anyone else. Why? Because, neither she nor my best friend, nor anyone else would be moving. I was the one who would be moving, therefore I was the one who had to make the decision.
I stood up and opened the curtains. I will never forget the look of the massive orange sun rising over the city that day, and the tingling sensation that ran through my body. This was a day that would decide my fate. This was my time, this was it. I arrived early for the interview. They were impressed. They mentioned being highly interested in my candidacy, however they had more interviews to honor. I told them that I wouldn't start jumping up and down just yet. A few anxious hours passed.
When they called me at noon to sign the contract and confirm the agreement, I had less than an hour to do all of the above, and get to the airport for my flight home. For some reason I scheduled my flight home a day and a half before the fair ended, I think it was because I wanted to get home in time to go to my Saturday night dance club. Regardless, they offered me the job. I remember having my purple Oaxacan scarf in my hands at the time, and holding it up to my face to release a burst of enthusiasm. When the directors offered to shake my hands as a gesture of sealing the deal, I brushed them away and practically jumped into their arms, embracing them with all of my might.
While I do still have distant plans of moving to Brazil, those plans have been put on a minimum 2 year temporary hold. There were so many factors contributing to my decision to move to Ghana. Spending all my savings on a flight to Brazil, only to get there and have no job, no apartment, no money, and one friend, just didn't sound as appealing as the opportunity I had been presented with. My decision to move to Ghana was based on forward movement professionally, personally, and financially. Here are some of the factors that helped to seal the deal.
Honestly, my #1 requirement for any future locale was beach, check. Then came all of the other considerations. Personal connection with the directors, check. Capital city, check. New country, check. New continent, check. IB educator training, check. Airfare included, check. Housing provided, check. Potential to share housing with other young professionals, check. Potential for savings, check. Second grade teacher partner (who already has been teaching at the school for two years and whom I'm expected to work closely with), check. Potential for lots of dance opportunities, check, check, check. Lo and behold friends, I'm moving to AFRICA!
Fast forward.
Two months from now (today) I will be officially leaving Colorado. Denver has been my home for the last three years, and they have been three incredibly powerful and transformative years. Just the other day I realized exactly why this is the perfect time for me to leave. The answer is because I am happy! I am perfectly ready to leave because of the happiness that envelops my daily existence. I love my life. I have such good fortune here in Denver. I love my friends, my family, my roommates, my apartment, my house, my students, my colleagues, my dance classes, my weekend activities, the mountains, the city, everything.
I will take that gratitude forward with me on this next journey. Stay tuned! XOXOX
