how things change

A year ago this weekend, I was in northern Iowa for the international job fair. I've been thinking a lot about this lately, and how so much has changed in the past 12 months. The job fair was one of the most difficult weekends I've ever experienced, beginning with an 8 hour drive that turned into a 12 hour drive thanks to the weather and a small sliding-off-road incident that left me rather hysterical and extremely pessimistic. The entire weekend was a huge emotional rollercoaster, as I walked into the fair expecting a job offer from a school in Abu Dhabi only to not get offered the job. I also interviewed for a job in a Swiss boarding school close to the Italian border, which also did not pan out. At one point, I checked out of my hotel and thought I would end up heading home jobless, when I landed an interview for my school here in Ecuador. It was crazy to suddenly be considering a job on a continent that was not even on my radar, and I had a small meltdown when it came to make the final decision. Now I understand that this is the place I was meant to be, and I would not change my experience for anything. It's crazy to think all this has happened in a year, and I can't possibly imagine in what direction I'll be moving this time next year.

moving

This week I moved into my new classroom at school. It was pretty exciting to get a brand-new room, especially after the room I started the school year working in. Here's the before:It was basically a walk-out basement with no windows--pretty cold and dreary. Here is (ta-da!) the after:Big beautiful windows, new carpet, built-in shelves and cabinets, and it's warm when I come in every morning! The view is pretty great, too.

en español

There have a been a few times that I've particularly missed being in the States, and today was one of those days. With such an amazing, historical event happening today, I was a bit sad not to be present in the atmosphere of such a momentous and hopeful day. However, I did have my own uniquely South American inaugural experience, which was probably a once-in-a-lifetime deal. The television coverage here of course is not what it is in the States, but the inauguration ceremony was broadcast live on local television. A little before noon, the US and Ecuadorian teachers alike crowded around the big screen television in the club de profesores and watched a dubbed version of the ceremony and President Obama's (!) speech. While I had a tough time following the mixture of Spanish and English, and although Obama's eloquence just does not translate well to Spanish, it was exciting to see it live, and furthermore, to see the excitement and interest among my Ecuadorian co-workers. I spoke with my seventh grade students afterwards, and we discussed why it was important for the speech to have been dubbed here in Ecuador, as not everyone here understands English. I expressed how important I felt it was for the whole world to understand his message, and to know that even though we're not proud of some of the decisions we've made in the past, we're ready to change.

And now I'm going to watch the full speech in English on YouTube!

live in concert

I was very much looking forward to the Inaugural Concert at the Lincoln Memorial this afternoon, with its all-star lineup including my favorite, Josh Groban. I had researched and knew that HBO was providing free live streaming on cable and online. However, when I went to the HBO website, I was disappointed to find that the free streaming was only available to people in the US and its territories. (This happens rather frequently--do they not understand there are US citizens around the globe trying to stay connected?) Therefore, I was only able to listen to the concert via live audio streaming on NPR (did I mention I love NPR?) This evening, however, I was super excited to find on YouTube a video clip of my dear Josh performing in this afternoon's concert!

blackout

We didn't have electricity for most of this evening--actually, the entire country of Ecuador didn't have electricity for most of this evening. I'm not sure exactly what the cause was (certainly not a volcanic eruption) but we lost power twice, and so at one point this evening I was grading papers by candlelight. The best part of the rather inconvenient situation was watching the intersection just down the street from us cope with a lack of working traffic lights at rush hour.My roommate, Andrew, says that the traffic jam was a perfect metaphor for Ecuador: people are out for their own benefit and don't think about what will help the greater good, and then things get messy.

perspective

Please check out my friend Emily's blog. Emily is also an international teacher whom I met at the job fair last year, and she is teaching in Cairo. Living so close to Gaza and all of the violence as well as her recent trip to Israel have given her a really interesting perspective on the events happening between the two groups. Even though I am geographically far removed from the region, there is something about living and working in another country, or perhaps being removed from the US "bubble," that has led me to a more worldly perspective on happenings around the globe. I feel more cognizant of the fact that no matter where you live, the world is made up of people just trying to make it through each day and find happiness, whatever that may be. It's incredibly sad that these people are caught up in a fight that really isn't even theirs, and where "right" and "wrong" are so blurred. In times like these, you really must stop and be thankful for the blessings and opportunities that we are so fortunate to have.

3 reasons to go to bed early

1. New pillows=no more fluffing.
   
2. New sheets--350 thread count, compared to the 180 TC crap I bought when I first arrived.
3. Bath and Body Works' Lavender Chamomile Pillow Mist. It works wonders.
   

january blahs

I'm afraid that I've come down with a case of the January Blahs. My symptoms include feeling unmotivated and preferring to stay in my sweats watching movies all day long rather than getting out and being productive. Normally I would attribute this to the weather, but as the weather here never really changes, I can no longer cite that as the cause. If I were to guess, I would suspect that this case has been brought on by a post-holiday/big event let-down (my singer friends used to call this "post-performance syndrome.") I've finished the big concerts at work, Christmas holidays are over, and the big family visit is past as well. I need something to work towards, look forward to, or a new project to consume my time. Maybe I should just start planning more movie fests for the remaining weekends in January...

a milestone of sorts

This is the New Year's post I've been meaning to write, but I've been busy entertaining my dad and sister and having a great time.

Looking back on 2008, on both the grander and smaller scales, it's been quite a year:

• I planned and executed a move to a foreign country.
  
• I adapted to living in a foreign country, teaching in a new school, and getting around sans personal vehicle.
• I survived what has basically been the first semester of teaching in a new school, and put on several successful concerts (and impressed my boss, not an easy feat.)
• I can now converse in Spanish well enough to navigate my way through the city in normal daily life.

I typically don't make resolutions for the new year, and after thinking back on 2008, am not really sure that I can top the excitement level for that year. My hope for 2009 is to continue enjoying, exploring, and learning about this country; to work towards proficiency in Spanish; and to be so very thankful for all that I have and the opportunities and people in my life. We shall see what comes next!