...Now this last question is one that I'm not even really sure of what the answer is. Do I really have to have a very logical reason for choosing a different country to teach in other than the easier route of picking a "regular" school nearby? How about, "it's different; it sounded like it would be fun; I've always wanted to study in another country and I finally got my chance"?
Another reason I might use is, "My aunt Kathy used to teach Spanish and would take her classes on trips there. I've heard a million stories of her adventures there, and she has always wanted me to go. Not to mention, she'll introduce me to the friends she has made there, so I'll have connections..."
I'm not really sure any of these answers are necessarily good enough - I mean, when I'm interviewing for jobs, will my interviewers think that after teaching four months in a Spanish speaking private Montessori school, I won't have enough relevant experience to teach in their American public school? (Which I assure them, I do! I do!)
The truth is - I'm not one hundred percent sure why I am going, but there is something that is calling me to go. I'm sure going on my mission trip to Juarez, Mexico in 2004 gave me a little push in this direction... after all, I learned more about myself, my faith, and friendship in that one week alone than I have at any other given time in my life.
So again, I want to "get away" and "try something new and out of the ordinary" (all those cliche excuses for wanting to do something and making it sound reasonable), but really, it's not something I can even begin to decipher, not just yet.
It's almost as though at the exact moment my professor a couple years ago mentioned to our class that we could student teach in a different country, almost any country we wanted, it was like someone came up behind me, tapped me on my shoulder and whispered in my ear, "That's YOU she's talking to, ya know..." to which I asked, "who? ME?? WHY?!" and then I got this response, "you'll see." And then who ever that was, left and ever since then, whenever I think "yeah, I'm not so sure -" the thought stops dead in its tracks, it gets cut off, like I never even thought it. Any bit of uncertainty that I might feel, and suddenly I get a little nudge back in the direction... the one towards Costa Rica.
Lately I have been asking myself if I'm really suitable enough for this - I mean, I'm still learning Spanish! I'm very directionally challenged, I might get lost!
Then again, maybe that's just what I'll learn while I'm there (a new language and how to navigate in foreign places... as well as a few other things).
I'm not too sure, but I'm willing to find out.
I'm naturally a very curious person (this used to irritate my older brother because I was always asking him "why?" over and over again).
So I'm going to stop asking, "Why am I going?" and I'm just going to go and physically discover this answer for myself (and then report it back here).
So here I go, after I pick up the fine art of packing lightly, I'll be off on the biggest adventure of my life so far - I'll be "gathering up bits of the world" and journaling it here, Thru My Eyes.
