Thursday, July 29, 2010

Work: Found My Place

The other day I realized that for the first time in my life, I am not looking for a job. For the first time, I am completley satisfied where I am.

Since the time I was 14, I was looking for a job. Looking, Interviewing, Getting the Job...and yet...still looking. Everytime I have gotten a job, I have looked for something better. A job I would enjoy more, or one that would give me benefits or higher pay. I have always been looking. I would come home and search craigslist, monsters.com, the newspaper, everything, to try and find a new job. But, I just realized...I haven't used those sites, in a long time.

For the first time, I feel like I am working somewhere I can work for a long time. I am not always LONGING for a new job. I am not feeling "burnt out". I'm excited to go to work. It is such a great feeling.

Of course there are problems. The kids will be hell, my coworkers will be cranky or in bad moods, or I will be in a bad mood. Everyone has those days. But, for the most part I enjoy my job. I enjoy working with kids. My co-workers are great. I love my job. For the first time in my life I actually feel like I am working towards a good goal, and the correct one. I feel like I have found my place. I know where I am supposed to be. I love early childhood education. It is my dream.

I have finally found my place.

Sunday, July 25, 2010

Euro Trip

I'm leaving for my trip to Europe so soon. I'll be gone for a month with my sister, traveling in Germany, Scotland, and Ireland. I'm meeting my best friends Jenny and Lisbeth in Hamburg (thier place of residence), and then we are traveling around. I am so excited, but I'm also starting to get a bit nervous. I'm going to a foreign country, with just my backpack. That's it. I'm going to fit everything I need into one carry on, and go. It's going to be so exciting...and nerveracking. All at the same time. I still don't know what the correct emotion is yet.

Here is my rough Itinerary:

8/4 – Leave Seattle at 6:40 p.m (18:45)
8/5 – Arrive Hamburg 5:50 p.m (17:50)
8/23 – Ivy’s Birthday
8/24 – Leave Hamburg 10:50 p.m (22:50)
Arrive Edinburgh 11:25 p.m (23:25)
8/28 – Leave Edinburgh 12:35 a.m
Arrive Dublin 1:40 p.m (13:40)
9/1 –- Leave Dublin 6:30 a.m
Arrive Manchester 7:30 a.m
Leave Manchester 10 a.m
Arrive London (Heathrow) 11:05 a.m
Leave London (Heathrow) 3:10 p.m (15:10)
Arrive Seattle 4:45 p.m (16:45)

Gosh, seeing it all typed out only makes me more...I still don't know the emotion.

I'm so excited to spend time with my Germans! I haven't seen them in so long. I'm so excited to go to foriegn countries where we are both the foreigner...and not just one or the other. I'm excited to get out of the U.S for a while and experience a different colture. I'm so excited for the experience and the adventures. I love living life.

This trip is my gift to myself. I've saved up for 2 years for this...and I plan on using every penny. I'm draining out my savings for this trip. And guess what...I know it isn't the responsible thing to do, and I should be saving some for my return and for the future, but heck! If I can't be irresponsible now when it will only effect me, when can I? This is the time of my life where I am supposed to make the crazy mistakes and have a lot of fun. This is when I am supposed to go to Europe with just my backpack and come back broke. It's my gift to myself. And I plan on enjoying every minute.

I'll try to keep everyone updated as much as possible, but I might be having too much fun. So, if I don't talk to you...

Bon Voyage ; )


Monday, July 5, 2010

Update: Life

So, I have gotten pretty bad at this whole "blogging" thing lately. I've noticed the happier I am in life, the less likely I am to write about it. I've always been like that. Strangely enough. My insperation comes from pain I suppose.

When I was little I used to keep a journal. I was in a deep depression after my brother got into an accident, and the journals are full of dark, disturbing, thoughts. I can't even bare to look at them anymore. But I wrote everyday. I drew pictures everyday. I wrote stories. But they came from somewhere dark and twisted. I kept a journal until a few years ago. Then I just stopped. My last journal entry ends with something like, "Gosh, I wish Josh would just ask me out"...ha! It's funny looking back at that one now.

I haven't kept a journal since. Just these little random updates on my blog. I really should start keeping it, but I can never seem to get inspiration...kinda like this blog.

So, rather then find inspiration to write, I guess I'll just give you little update on my life.

Europe: I leave for Europe in exactly a month! I'm so excited, but I'm starting to get a little nervous. I have booked all my hostels, booked all my flights, and know exactly where I am staying. It's amazing. : ) I'm getting more and more excited everyday. I keep looking at travel blogs, and travel sites to get more ideas of what I want to do when I'm there, and that just makes me even more excited.

Work: I'm loving my job more and more each day. I love the age group I work with (one year olds), and I have so much fun. Starting when I get back from Europe they are thinking of moving me to the two year old room for a bit, and I am definatly going to have fun in that classroom too! The more I work here, the more I know this is what I want to do with the rest of my life. I love working in a pre-school. It's so relieving to finally know what I want to do with my life. I love children. I love working with children. I finally love my job.

Food/Diet: I'm trying lots of new things with food. After doing that detox, I've slowly been teaching myself different ways to cook healthier and eat healthier, and I actually like it! I've found that I prefer rice vinager on my salads, and I enjoy cooking with olive oil instead of butter. I like cooking healthier, and I feel better eating healthier! Ever since the detox I have been really curious of differnt ways of eating as well, so I have started to cook vegan meals for fun. I still haven't mastered one...I think I like my dairy and meat more. But it's fun to try new things.

I love where I am in life right now. And now more then ever, I'm excited to live it. I'm excited to see what comes next, and where life takes me.