Long time no post

Well I am finally ready to start posting on here again. And I will eventually go back and try to post old, funny or exciting stories, but I had to post what is happening now. Apparently International American Schools, no matter what city, have pretty high turnover in general. Cancun, as a city, is a transition city, so many people come here for just a short time and leave. I knew these things before I moved here. but I just wasn't prepared for one of my very close friends to leave, and so soon. Kayla, from Vancouver, has been living here in Cancun with her boyfriend, who is Mexican. He has an opportunity to move back to Canada for work, but he must act quickly as it is quite difficult for Mexicans to get work abroad. So she, not wanting to be in Cancun by herself, is moving back to Canada with him.

When I first heard the story, I was upset. Upset that my friend is leaving, upset that our group of friends is being broken, upset for our students who will now need a new teacher, upset for other teachers who will need to pick up the slack, upset that this bomb was dropped on me so suddenly, upset that our fun night out tonight is actually a going away party - that I helped to plan! But mostly I am just sad. I am sad that I am now wondering if a stable life is ever really possible here. I am wondering if I would ever be able to get used to people - good friends - coming in and out of my life so quickly. I am questioning raising a family in this type of environment. Or is it even possible to start a family in this environment?

I can only now enjoy what little time I have left with her and hope that we stay in touch. Thank God for Facebook! And I will continue to lean on my other friends here. We will all miss her very much!

More Pictures

Here are some more pictures. In order from top to bottom: Dos Playas, the cafeteria at school, my classroom, and the snake that popped out of the books in the library at school.

Pictures!

Here is a picture of my school. My classroom is in the corner on the second floor. Our air conditioning broke this week... very HOT! The other picture is the living room in my new apartment. It is huge and beautiful and furnitureless. I love it though.

Discovering more every day...

After discussing some health issues with a colleague, she prompted me to go to Hospiten, where she goes to see a doctor. It was very nice, almost like an airport actually. The doctor and all employees spoke English and were very nice. I was able to make an appointment in one day and the cost for my visit was only $60. This is amazing to me! And in case you are concerned, I am fine. My body is just having a hard time adjusting to the change in location...

Today is my first day with my students. So far I have only had one class with the 11th graders, but they seemed really nice and full of life. One of my students is actually from my hometown! Small world. I am anxious to meet my other students this afternoon.

Some colleagues invited me to a soccer game this weekend, so I might meet up with them. And I also think I am going to splurge and buy myself a television and get cable. Ah, big weekend plans...

Playa del Carmen

So today I ventured down the coast about an hour to Playa del Carmen, which is a small town that has been growing and growing over the last 10-15 years. A friend and her family are there for a week so I decided to go down and meet with them for a coffee. So I walked about 2 blocks north from my apartment to the Centro bus station and bought a round trip ticket (cost was about $7.20). The bus was air conditioned and played a movie (en espanol). When I arrived in Playa, I took a taxi to a little mini-community within it called Playacar, which is where my friend was staying. We met at Starbucks and talked for awhile. It was nice to speak to someone from home.
When we were finished I just hopped back in a taxi (which was $5 each way) and got back on the bus and headed home to Cancun. I am so proud of myself for actually going on this trip. I actually thought about just staying in today because I was nervous. But I practiced a little Spanish today too, which was great, and I saw some new parts of the Yucatan - on my own.
In other news, I went to pick up my laundry this morning, but it wasn't ready yet. This week I will bring my laundry in Thursday or Friday. Saturday seems to be a very busy day for them. I met a new friend for dinner tonight too. I have to say it was a good day.

2 weeks and counting...

So I have been in Cancun now for just about 2 weeks. So much has happened - I don't even know where to start. When I initially got here, my friends, Miguel and Gustavo, met me at the airport and brought me back to their apartment where I stayed for just about a week. They both work all the time and are never home so I ended up sitting there alone without internet access watching Spanish television.

Luckily before I left to come here a girl had posted on a Cancun website that she had a room to rent in a good location and it was in my price range. So I had emailed her and she sent me a text while I was on the plane down here. I met up with her towards the end of my first week and agreed to take the room. The room and the entire apartment are gorgeous. My room is huge and air conditioned with a built-in desk and bureaus. I share a bathroom with Fiko, who lives in the other single room in the apartment. The common area is really spacious, but empty. No one wants to get any furniture for it because they all think they will only be here temporarily. The kitchen is stocked with supplies though, so I was actually able to cook for myself this week. The other room is a master suite that is shared by a couple. They have their own bathroom and walk-in closet. He is German and works as a chef in Playa del Carmen. She is Mexican and works at an architect here in Cancun. There is also a pool in the back that looks great.

The girl who rented me the place is awesome too. Grace is from England and works here editing wedding photos for her mom's business. She was moving out of this apartment to move back with her mom because she and the step-dad just separated. We have hung out a couple of times. She is so nice and we have a lot in common. Mostly I like that she is white and blond and doesn't speak any Spanish and has lived here for 4 years. Oh yeah and it completely sarcastic which I enjoy.

School is great too. I am stressed because of the workload but I am sure it will all work out once the kids come to school next week. There was a snake in our library the other day. That was pretty exciting.

And I now I am psyched because I have internet access at home, so I will be able to update this blog a lot easier - and they won't take as long to write - or read.

I am finally here...

I was greeted at the airport by my friends here. We then took the bus back to their apartment where I have stayed since I arrived. I am out today looking at apartments because I am desperate for my own space. I have not gone out of the apartment that much for a couple of reasons. 1. I don't speak enough Spanish to figure out where I am or where I want to go. 2. I have no one to go anywhere with. My friends are great for letting me stay but they work all the time. 3. It is HOT. I don't want to leave the one air conditioned room in their apartment.

I did get a chance to go to my school on Thursday. There they dropped the bomb on me that I am not only teaching Calculus, Physics, and Chemistry, but also Pre-Calculus and Geometry. It will definitely be tough but the students in 10th grade don't start until Augusts 20th so I will have done a lot of work before they arrive.

The school is providing me with a pre-pay cell phone on Monday though so I will have a Mexican phone number and they will pick me up for work every day, which is a huge help, because the streets downtown are crazy. I still can't figure out the addresses here.

So I am feeling a little out of sorts right now, but I am sure things will get better once work starts for me, and I make some friends, and hopefully start grasping onto the language some more.

Finally, some contact!

I actually received a phone call tonight from the director of the school in Cancun. She said she was planning on picking me up at the airport... unfortunately, since I hadn't heard from her, I already made plans for my friend to pick me up and to stay with him for a few days until I figure everything out. She did inform me that she is back at school this week and that we will get together Wednesday afternoon to discuss living arrangements. She also said that the school provides a pre-pay cell phone, which is one more thing that I won't have to worry about. So everything is coming together and I am looking forward to my time abroad. The next time I post will be from Cancun, Mexico! Hasta luego!

Neuman has a home!

Well after a very emotional day at the vet and considering putting him down, fate brought me to a woman I used to work with at a restaurant who just happens to love cats. We made arrangements today for him to be dropped off Monday night before I leave. I am so glad he will be with good people, who I know will take care of him and love him. The best part is that I was completely honest about his behavior and she still wanted him! I am thrilled. Although I will most likely have my dad drop him off... it might be too emotional for me.

One week until departure

Well I wish there was more to report. I have so many questions for my new boss, but she has not returned my emails, even after forwarding my flight itinerary to her. I guess I will just show up at work and hope for the best.

Had our family party two weekends ago and my friends threw a party this past weekend. Lots of fun - enchiladas and margaritas all around! One friend even got me a web cam and, assuming I will be able to hook it up, I will be able to keep in touch really well with friends and family. Exciting!

So this week I am just doing little errands... hair cut, packing, organizing before I leave just one week from today (in fact one week from now I will be arriving at the Cancun Airport). Again just wishing I knew more about what work will be like. I am trying to just relax about it...

Finally...

It has been confirmed that school officially starts with students on August 18th, so I am expected to report to work on August 11th, which means I am headed to Cancun on August 5th! I already purchased my ticket! Now I just need to make sure I know where I am going once I get there.

I did find a roommate though, after advertising on the Cancun craigslist. Dyanna is from Monterrey, Mexico and we seem to have a lot in common so far. She studied engineering, worked in a manufacturing plant, decided it wasn't for her, and now works as a consultant. She wants to move to Cancun for all the same reasons I do. The best part is that, even though she doesn't already have a job there, she is Mexican, so she won't have any problem finding legitimate work, so I will be able to get a decent apartment with her.

So things are finally happening. The anxiety is starting to take over though so I am getting less and less sleep, but, my former college roommate reminded me while I was in Alaska last week that I can do just about anything for a year. So true, Laura.

Shocking...

I still don't know when I am leaving. I do know they are still currently in school until July 4th, so I am trying my hardest to be patient until then. And I am distracted by things here - tutoring every day, working out, organizing things at the new house, and my upcoming trip to Alaska.

We sent out our invitations for the family graduation/going away party we are having mid-July. Before we sent the actual invitations, I had to tell some people in person or over the phone, like my brother, grandmother, and especially my sister. I called my brother. He was pumped and said he was practicing his fishing skills so he can catch some big ones when he comes to visit. My grandmother quickly changed to subject to something related to her and her latest boyfriend. But my sister's reaction was the best... she and I always said, ever since we were little and vacationing there together, that it would be so great to live there. She said, "Oh my God, you are living our dream!" I could tell her wheels were turning trying to figure out how she will be able to take some vacations down there, potentially without my nieces!

Reach Out and Touch Someone...

But you can only do that if you are a millionaire. Figuring out international calling rates and cell phone usage rates for Mexico has been insane. I thought I found the perfect cell phone plan, basically because it was the only provider that even offered a plan to call Mexico. What they don't tell you unless you specifically ask is that just to use an American cell phone in Mexico, or any other country, costs $1.49 per minute. That is crazy!

So I bagged the American cell phone plan altogether. I will just get a Mexican cell phone once I get there. My parents will keep their cell phones and, as it turns out, our current cell phone provider offers the best international calling rate to Mexico. So we don't have to change anything, just add the international calling capability to my parents' phones. This will make it easier for them, too.

And I found out today that I can put a seasonal suspension on my cell phone here so that when I come home from Cancun at Christmas and next summer I will still have my number and my phone! That's awesome! Verizon really is the best provider out there.

Unhappy "Roommate"

I heard from my now former potential roommate. She is in Cancun currently and emailed to say hello. She is living with her Mexican boyfriend for the summer. She said she has met some people downtown and they were "rude and disrespectful" to her and nothing like the people who work in the hotel zone. Well, no kidding. My response to her included the following, but I was probably a little nicer about it in email than I am here.

1. She has only been there for 3 days. Give it a chance.
2. Obviously people in the hotel zone are nicer. We, as tourists, pay their salaries.
3. She is basically alone there, without a job. She has no network, no connections.
4. Bottom line: American in a foreign country.

This doesn't make me nervous, surprisingly. I feel like I know the area very well, I have made many connections with expatriates via the internet and I will have lots of Canadian and American co-workers in addition to my Mexican friends. Plus I will have an actual roommate, not just live with some Mexican guy I have met twice.

What I am nervous about though is that the days keep passing by and I still have not heard from the director of the school yet. What the heck? Maybe this was why one of the expatriate women I met online said her daughter "used to" attend that school...

And I still know nothing...

I still have not heard from my director at the school in Cancun. I emailed her again this week asking just for the date that I need to be there. I have some opportunities to work this summer and a wedding I would like to go to, so I need to plan. The apartment, text books, and class agendas I can deal with knowing about a week or a day before, but I would like to know when I need to book a flight for.

Got to see all of my friends today at a BBQ. It was awesome. Everyone was there. They are all married and most have kids, some even have 2 kids. I did feel a little awkward being the only single person there, but I do love kids so I got plenty of time to be with the children and play and get dirty. I will definitely miss days like today, but the reality is that we only get together like this maybe once or twice a year.

This upcoming week is my last week at school. I am sure it will be emotional. I will be finished with my students on Wednesday and Friday there is a retirement luncheon (I actually wasn't going to go to it, until they told me that I am being recognized there too). I just have to hold it together. This is the right move for me. It will be difficult, but I know it is a great opportunity.

Breaking the News

I told my students on Friday that I would not be back next year. The first two classes I told didn't really seem to care, but my last class of the day was quite worked up. They had all kinds of questions for me and there are a lot of kids in that class, so I told them to write their questions down on a piece of paper and I would collect all of the questions and answer them at the end of class. They were so cute. "What will you do with your cat?" "Where will you live?" "Won't you miss us?" I cried on that one.

I also told my unit members for my business, and with that I also told them I was resigning as a director in the company. I tried to call all of them personally, but that was impossible, since there are 40 of them! So I sent a mass e-mail, which is cold and impersonal, but efficient, unfortunately.

Now I just need to figure out a way to tell my extended family members. My mother wants me to wait as long as possible to tell them but it is only two months away!

Speaking of it being only two months away... I re-e-mailed the director of the school in Cancun, since I hadn't heard from her in three weeks, asking her again about an apartment, text books, and our starting date. She did e-mail me back at least, but didn't have information yet. She said she would this week though, so that is promising. I am feeling extremely anxious.

My friends in Cancun are awaiting my arrival too. I can't wait to be there. Although I will miss things here, I am ready for my new adventure.

Feeling anxious...

Not too much to report. Just looking for apartments and waiting to hear back from the school regarding text books and start date. I guess they are on Mexican time. I just wish I knew when I was actually going so I can book a flight. Then it would seem more real.

I have pretty much told everyone in my life about this big move except for my family - aunts, uncles, cousins, grandmother, etc. That should be interesting.

My replacement at my current school was hired last week. She seems really nice, but it is strange having my "replacement" around.

I have heard from my friends in Mexico and they are anxiously awaiting my arrival. It is good to know that I have some people to help me out with things if need be.

Mom is definitely feeling sad. She makes comments all the time: "Won't you miss this?" - about anything! Of course I will miss some things, but I have to do this! I just have to.

Lots done...

Since I have been back I have accomplished a lot... finished my Master's in Education, moved into the new house... still unpacking two weeks later, but it will get done. Now I am just trying to save money and make some with my business before I go away in just three short months and prepare for my dance recital which is only a month away!

I do think I found a great apartment in Cancun though. It is a two-bedroom penthouse with a pool in a great downtown location and some utilities included, but the rent is more expensive than I anticipated. Of course, it is still much cheaper than anything here of the same quality. It would be completely doable with a roommate, but now my "friend" is thinking twice about whether or not she wants to move.

I also have found a potential part-time job working for a travel agency. I could work some nights and weekends, plus I will be tutoring for extra cash, but I still need to save up now and be frugal when I get there.

Back to the states

Well my flight home was a journey in itself. It took me just under 24 hours to get back to Boston. Missed my connection in Philadelphia so had to stay there overnight.
But I am back now and ready to face the week. Lots to do, but it all has to get done so I just have to suck it up.

Lots to do...

When I return home, I have a lot to do. Although I have three months, I have a lot to get in order. I need to finish moving out of my current apartment. This should make it easier to move my clothes now though. At least I know I can really pack up my winter clothes and separate out all my "Cancun clothes" and keep those available. I also really do need to brush up on my skills for the classes I will be teaching, especially doing labs! Haven't done those in about 10 years! Plus just all the regular stuff I do... work, tutoring, dance, my Mary Kay business, and working out. (I will need to be serious about losing weight if I am going to be in a warm weather climate for a year.) And I can't wait to plan a going away party. I am thinking a Mexican Fiesta theme!

Interview #3

I found the address of the school online figuring the taxi drivers would know how to get there. Boy, was I wrong. We went all over the city looking for this place and I ended up being a half hour late. What should have been a 20 minute cab ride took an hour and a half!

I arrived at the International American School not knowing what to expect. I was greeted by a security guard who gave me a visitor pass. She led me to the office where I met the general director of the school. We chatted for a little while. She was very nice, asked me about discipline issues at my current job and what I had experience teaching, etc. She did inform me that the position she was hiring for was for a math/science position. I thought that sounded cool... until she told me I would be teaching calculus, physics, and chemistry! Then she walked around the school with me for a few minutes on our way to meet the vice principal. He was also very nice. Same line of questioning. They told me to walk around and check out the campus a little more while they conferenced. I really didn't know what to expect. The yard was nice. A soccer field on one side, a volleyball court on the other, and a "cafeteria" which consisted of a booth with some plastic patio furniture. But the floors of the school were all white marble - beautiful! Classrooms are air conditioned and most teachers are American (as are the students). I was called back in quickly and OFFERED THE JOB!

She gave me the contract to look over and asked me to fax it back signed when I could. I am super excited. I guess the hour and a half, $60 cab ride was worth it. And I guess I need to brush up on my calc, chem, and physics! I start in August!

Interview #2

Well interview #2 was on Tuesday at an English Language School. I won't mention any names, but it is a famous German based school. I am sure you can put it together. The interviewer was quite an interesting fellow. He agreed to interview my roommate on the spot simultaneously, which is fine, a little awkward, but fine. So he asked us some standard questions from an interview form, but when there were silences in the conversation it was very awkward. I think it might have been because he was incessantly staring at my roommate. I mean, even when I was trying to fill the dead air with some sort of witty comment, he was staring at her. So weird. The interview clearly should have been over so many times but he continued chatting about how he has 20 cats and 10 dogs and when it rains all the cats come in and sleep with him on his bed. TMI. Luckily, the job only pays a very small amount and I would have to wear a uniform making me completely uninterested. I could never work with this man. I will now refer to him as Hitler for the rest of my life. He did say though that we could just contact him and let him know when we would be there to start training. Maybe my roommate will consider it if she has no other options. But I will not.

After the interview we went to check out the surrounding area including the Wal-Mart, which did have all the regular things I would want from a Wal-Mart. All my favorite brands and low prices. We did go to meet the woman I met online to talk about life in Cancun as an American, but she didn't show up. Maybe she was just on Cancun time. But we had walked so much we decided to head back to the hotel.

Interview # 1

Well it was really more like a meeting than an interview. I decided to take a taxi to the hotel where I was meeting the man so I could sleep a little longer and avoid any bus delays. It is gated and the security guy asks why I am there. I say, "To have breakfast with this guy... Jim." "Oh," he says, "con Jim." He lets us in and I head to the lobby and another man greets me and says, "Amanda? Jim is right here waiting." Good thing I was early.
So we started chatting about living in Cancun and I asked him about his travel company that he said he owned. Little did I know that he not only owns this travel company but the very hotel we were eating breakfast in! I had no idea I was having breakfast with such a bigwig! He basically said that because I have a lot more education than most people living here that it would be no problem finding a job for me. He just said to continue to check things out this week and send him an e-mail letting him know what I decide. He knows, of course, that I have more interviews, too.
Now the jobs he would be able to set me up with would not necessarily be my dream jobs, but while I was talking with him about why I wanted to come down here, I think I re-talked myself into coming here no matter what. Even if it is just for a year... my job at home is secure, my belongings are in a home waiting for me, no husband, children, or mortgage to worry about. The whole "if you have a scratch, you should itch it" mentality keeps popping up in my head.
I will continue to investigate though. Tomorrow I will venture into downtown for interview #2 and a coffee meeting with some expatriates.

And by the way, the weather couldn't be more beautiful. I think today it had to be 90!

I am finally here...

I am in Cancun right now. Looking forward to the awesome week I have planned. I have met my new "roommate" and she is really sweet. We are going to meet some of her friends right now and we have so many excursions planned for the rest of the week!

The weather is, of course, incredible. And the people are so awesome!

I just want to see what these schools look like and what these people are like so I can make a good decision.

Mom cried on the phone this morning when I called to tell her I arrived safely. She blurted out again last night that she thinks I am never going to come home again after I move here. Maybe she is right... but maybe I won't move at all.

More to come this week. Stay tuned...

It's been a long time...

...since I have posted on here. I guess there isn't too much to update.

The latest is that I am super excited about my upcoming trip to Cancun for so many reasons. I get to meet my new friend who could potentially be my new roommate. I have three job interviews and an appointment to see a condo. I want to check out the Wal-Mart there and see if they carry all the regular goods I am used to having here. Plus I need to get away.

One of my interviews looks so promising but I don't want to get my hopes up. The assistant principal of the school called me, and he sounded really nice, and I can't wait to talk to him/meet him. I really think that school is the right place for me. But I definitely need to see it in person to tell for sure.

I did start to realize this week though, as I pack to move out of my apartment, that I wont be able to take all of my clothes and shoes with me to Cancun. This is a problem for me. They are like my security. I am going to have trouble choosing what to bring and what to leave here. I suppose if that is my biggest problem, I have it made. :)

What I would miss (and not miss)...

What I would miss:

My parents and nieces
Friends
Patriots games
Dance class
Going on vacation to Cancun

What I would not miss:

Driving (including traffic, commuting, and potential speeding tickets)
Snow and cold weather
Pantyhose, hats, mittens, scarves, etc.

People think I am crazy...

After seeing some old friends and making some new ones this weekend and sharing my story about the potential move to Cancun, I am finding that most people think I am absolutely crazy! I actually really don't care. Does that sound awful?

I don't feel like going through the whole explanation... how I have been traveling to Cancun with my family since I was 9 years old, how it feels like a second home to me, how I have always wanted to live and work in a Spanish culture, how this "idea" has been an idea for about 10 years now and it is not just some whimsical daydream.

Part of me wants to do this to show all of these people that I am NOT crazy and can actually make it in a foreign country, where they speak another language, and I can do it all on my own.

Working Girl

Well I have had some great luck this week. I set up an appointment to meet with a man who runs hos own travel company in Cancun. He agreed to meet with me for an "interview" so he could make recommendations to me and to companies looking to hire someone to sell timeshares. (8am appointment! Clearly he does not know that I am not a morning person.)

Then I heard back from one of the schools I sent my resume to - a school to teach English to both students and professionals. The woman sent me all of the requirements for the job and it sounded fine, so we set up an interview while I am there as well.

But the last place I heard from really excites me. It is another school, but I would be teaching math - in English - to students in uniforms! But the best part were all of the benefits that were laid out in the job description. Reimbursement for flights for foreign teachers, medical insurance, 2/3 of rent paid for plus help finding a suitable space to live in, bonuses, etc. It sounds amazing.

Additionally, this is not a school that is just looking for just any breathing body. They require at least a Bachelor's Degree, and prefer graduate degrees and experience, which I can certainly offer them.

I was happy when the woman asked for references almost right away! Jobs don't ask for references unless they are serious about you. Come to find out, she contacted all of my references within 24 hours! We then scheduled an interview, and I am so excited to meet her and the staff and see the school. I have so many questions.

The most thrilling part by far is that all of this information made my parents feel a little better about this adventure. They even joked that maybe they should apply to this dream school in Cancun. My father did say say that he and my mom were already thinking about times when they would come down to visit. I am so glad to have their support. It means more to me than anything else.

There are a lot of things to do in the next couple of months - finish my Master's, work 2 full-time jobs, dance class, weddings, move out of my apartment... it will be a whirlwind, but I am ready for it!

Homecoming

In preparation for the trip, I am moving out of my apartment and into my father's mother's home. She is in a nursing home and not able to live alone again and the house has been sitting there empty for about 9 months. This relieves a lot of pressures:

Financially - my father has been maintaining the house anyway and will charge me minimal rent and/or utilities. There is also enough room for me to store everything I own in the house so I won't need to rent a storage facility.

Cat - now I don't need someone to adopt Neuman or for my parents to open their home to him, which they wouldn't anyway.

Personal space - moving back home with my parents again would be difficult - for them and me.

The house is right down the street from my parents and in my hometown, so I have friends and family right here too. I think it is a good plan. I am moving May 1st.

Flight Prices

I cannot believe how much it costs to fly to Cancun! Luckily I have a free flight voucher (and I have signed up for every frequent flier program on earth to earn points for later flights) but still - it is so expensive. How are people going to be able to travel with me, or to visit me while I am there, if the flight prices are so high? I guess it is the rising cost of fuel, but come on...

My new potential roommate called me yesterday. I was glad to hear her voice. She seems normal. I am going to call her back today so we can have a real conversation.

And I have had tremendous luck applying for jobs in Cancun. I have heard back from 3 schools and a couple of resorts. Very uplifting. And I have made solid plans to meet with an owner of a travel company when I am there in April. Can't wait to go... especially since it is snowing here today - again!

Meeting Friends Online

I have made "friends" with a girl that I met on a 'moving to Cancun' message board. She seems really nice, but she is only 20, but again, very nice. She and I have been emailing back and forth about moving and potentially sharing an apartment. I am nervous about this although I think it would be good to have a roommate there.
But what if in real life she is actually a moron, or a cokehead, or "Single White Female"-esque? I did feel a little better after seeing her myspace page, but I am still anxious.
I wish I had some kind of magic power where I could tell if people were truthful or not right away. It would have made so many things so much easier in my life. But what fun would that be, right?

Update

I work for the best school department in the world. I knew this before today but it was reiterated with a phone call from a woman in the administration office today. They are allowing me go to Cancun next month to make a decision about taking a leave of absence from my job. And with the leave of absence I am guaranteed to have a job when I return in a year. What school department would do that? I am extremely lucky.

Since I am having a hard time finding an adoptive parent for Neuman, my cat, it looks like he might be making the trip with me. Some small fees will be necessary but not too much paperwork. Completely doable.

Now I am just having a hard time finding someone to go to Cancun with me in April. The resort where we will be staying is so inexpensive, but the flights from here are ridiculous. Plus I need to go there with someone who won't mind and will be capable of getting home alone at night. Not that I frequently leave my friends up the creek without a paddle, but some people would have a real problem with that. Some people are checking their finances and whatnot and letting me know. I hope they tell me soon.

Obviously moving there would be completely different than vacationing there, and I need someone to vacation with. Let's see what happens...

The Truth Comes Out

I had the big conversation with Mom today about moving to Cancun. After she questioned the money and why I even bothered getting my Master's degree, and amidst her tears, the truth came out... she said, "What if you don't come back?"

While my plan is to only stay abroad for a year, it is a real possibility. She said she thinks I will meet someone and never come back and she will be too afraid to travel to see me, especially if something were to happen to my father.

So many "ifs" in this scenario though, and I am not a big "if" person. Honestly I could go down to Cancun in April and meet with some of these contacts and decide this really isn't such a good idea after all. Or I could go thinking this is a good idea but be home by Thanksgiving. Or I could go and love it. There is just no way to tell until I make this move.

Thank God I went to church today and the message spoke to me directly, as it usually does... "live your life like you mean it." Now that I can do and I think moving to Cancun is part of my journey. I am scared, but knowing that my mother is scared but also supportive makes a huge difference.