okay, so most of the views on my little blog come from the U.S., but whalla I hit the magical number today.  I also got an email from TeachAway telling me that my immigration documents have been sent to Abu Dhabi.  How exciting is that?  Thinking about that makes my heart pitter patter a bit faster, but it’s all good, I was brought back down to life.  Minutes later I got another email from them reminding me to actually apply for a job if I wanted to work overseas.  Huh?  Apparently, that’s just a robo email, but I had a mini oh-shit moment.

Spring break is over, and I’m pooped — and it’s only my lunch break right now.

I’m too busy to stalk blogs and online articles right now, but wow I have just two months left of teaching here, and then a few more months until I’m in Abu Dhabbi.  It’s sort of blowing me away.  This is really real…

It’s already Thursday!  My spring break is going by way too quickly.  I’ve slowed down to enjoy living my current life, and yet that is flying by.  I’ve hiked, I’ve cleaned house, I’ve had new carpeting put down in the bedrooms (looks like a brand-new house), and I’ve met up with old friends and new (met some Phoenix Abu Dhabi peeps — we’re all excited and overwhelmed at the same time).

The worst of work is pretty much finished — yearbook and IB assessments are completed.  So, when I go back next week it’s all about the down slope.  I think the best thing for me to do right now is just take it all in.  Enjoy everything I’m doing now, which is stuff I’ve been doing for years, and see it for the goodness that it is.  It’s a gift to have what you thought was mundane brought to a magical level.

I didn’t get to do the Sedona hike — my sons have other plans (if only they’d spend a little more time enjoying what time they have left with me, but they’re young and at that point where it’s alllll about their friends) — but that’s okay because I’ve truly been appreciating my own backyard and the hike I’ve taken soooo many times.  I’m posting some pics of my now for when I get homesick tomorrow.

Click here for what I see today — and, yes, I’m so incredibly grateful 

My big news this week is that we’ve decided not to sell the house, which eliminates some of the stress.  Joe, my man friend, and Aaron will continue to live here, which they prefer doing versus a move as well.  I like knowing that when I come back to visit I’ll be sleeping in the home the kids and I have known for more than a decade.  The only reason I wanted to sell is because I didn’t want to worry about it financially, but we’re good.  If I sell now I barely break even, so I build more equity and everyone is happy with where they’re living.   The house is now crossed off of my to-do list (easy enough).  Plus, I get to swim and nap in my pool until the day I leave!  And, hike MY mountains … all very comforting.  Another plus, I can fantasize about doing these things again when I’m homesick.

I’m also continuing to get to know the folk I’ll move over there with.  A big surprise is there’s a another teacher who not only lives 5 minutes away from me, but she also works for the same district.  We met after work earlier this week, and we’re both so excited.  We’re getting together during spring break, so I’m sure a fun friendship is just a brewing away.  I feel so lucky that I’m able to begin friendships here before making the big move.

Facebook is a great lifeline as well.  There’s all sorts of file and experience sharing going on.  It’s scary when you read some of the bad stuff that could happen, but I think it’s also vital to read it.  I’d rather be prepared for the worst than surprised by it.  Of course, like everyone else, I’m hoping that mine won’t be a bad story.  That said I’m still really excited about it all (and love reading the posts about the good things too).  I’ll make whatever comes my way work, and I’ll cherish every ounce of good I get.  I type this knowing that the folk who got the short end of the stick also thought this.

I think when you sign up for something so foreign, you have to ask yourself some tough questions first.  A big one is can I survive if it doesn’t work out?  If I get sent back my first 6 months (like every other job I’ve had the first 6 months are probationary) will I be devastated? Do I have a plan B?

In my case the answer is yes.  I don’t think I’d do this if I’d be totally screwed if I got booted.  I think another tough question is can I fulfill my contract even if I totally hate what I’m doing?  My honest answer is I think I can.  I’ve never just quit without notice, even when I couldn’t stand the people I was working for.  I take my contracts seriously, but I’ve also not been in an overseas situation yet either.  I feel badly for those who felt they had to leave without officially quitting, and I feel badly for those who have to pick up the extra load they left behind.

I’m going off on one of my tangents, but I think my reasoning is that you have to be fully prepared, and you have to go into this knowing that your decisions will affect more than just you.  I know we all know this, but we have to make sure we’re not just caught up in the wonderful aspects of taking this job.  All adventures include risk.  It’s how you prepare for it that makes the difference, or so has been my experience so far in life.  I hesitate sharing this because I don’t want to offend or sound like I’m assuming others didn’t do their homework.

This is all just my little pea-brain’s way of preparing for my new life — because it’s not just a new job I’m taking; it’s a new everything.