Yes, I'm still alive!

Hey all! Don't ask my why I am finally writing a new post at midnight on a Saturday but I just remembered that I haven't updated in a while and figured I'd let you all know I'm still alive and well! I'll try to give the short and dirty of my life since my last post but there will be a lot missing :( Sorry!

Ok, so July 13 was my last day at SIS@SS in Saigon, Vietnam. It was bittersweet really. I was excited to move onto my next adventure but there were certainly things I would miss there. The next day my parents arrived in HCMC. I'll post a more detailed blog about our epic vacation soon. That's a whoooooole story in itself! After our vacation I went home for 3 whole days! It was actually really weird to be back in the States. I enjoyed the familiarity and ease of communicating with everyone I encountered but it also felt strange and foreign in a way that I can't even attempt to explain. Honestly, I was glad to be moving on so soon. Maybe it felt so weird because it was so short and in between very different cultural experiences. I don't know. Either way, after 3 days I departed for Guadalajara, Mexico.

It was amazing to arrive on the same day I left the States but I was still pretty jet lagged from arriving from Vietnam and spending the 3 days home unpacking, doing laundry, and repacking my life. I had to start work the next day so the next week was just a whirlwind of orientations, meetings, apartment hunting, and meeting people. After a lot of craziness and a few weeks of crashing with a co-worker I found an apartment a few blocks from the school and moved in. The next day I took home a dog I decided to adopt.

What was I thinking? I don't know....but I was sent photos of this dog chained up to a car and I just couldn't help myself. Was it smart? No. Was it too soon? Absolutely. Did I freak out after taking her home? Yep! Do I regret saving her and giving her a home? Nope! It took a few weeks of adjusting (to EVERYTHING) but I did fall in love with her and as crazy as she is I'm SO glad I have her in my life. I was told about a farm that breeds and trains dogs. You can send your dog there for 2 weeks for training and even board them there when you go out of town. After getting prices I decided to send Maya (I chose that name to keep her Mexican roots) for some basic training. The day after she left for "school" I adopted a kitten. Again, what was I thinking?!? I don't know....I saw her photo from a coworker and she was just so cute. So while Maya was away for two weeks Laci (my new kitten) and I adjusted to life together. She's the first cat I've ever owned so I've been a little clueless about it but it's been going really well and I just adore this kitty. She's SO sweet and friendly and she really has a personality all her own. She loves attention and she wakes me up in the middle of the night by laying on my chest purring and pressing her face into my face for kisses. It's so adorable. As much as I hate being woken up I can't be mad at that face! She was estimated to be about 3 months when I took her home so now she's going on 4 months old. Today I took her to be spayed and now I feel so bad! She's so groggy and looks so miserable...I feel like I did something terrible but of course I know getting her spayed is the best thing I can do for her. I just hate seeing my sweet baby in pain! Now I have some fraction of an idea how parents feel. I wish I could just take the pain for her! Last weekend Maya graduated from "school" and Maya and Laci have been getting used to each other. I was really worried about it for a few days but then on Wednesday they just kind of clicked with each other. Now I have to worry about them playing too rough. They both like to pick on each other and sometimes Maya chases Laci across the apartment. We'll see how the next few weeks go. I want to be able to leave them together when I'm at work and sleeping eventually. For now Maya stays in the spare bedroom during work and at night and Laci has free roam of the rest of the place. It works for now but I really hope we can all be together soon. Anyway, so while I was a complete idiot to take on not only one but TWO animals in my first 2 months in Mexico I'm so glad I did it. I love both of those animals with all of myself. They are my babies and I think I lucked out with the two best animals on the planet. Of course Maya still needs to learn more manners and Laci is crazy hyper a lot but I love it. I am so lucky. They are my life now :)

 I think part of the reason I felt the need to get pets so soon was that in July my parents had to put down my childhood dog because of her old age and failing health. It was indescribably difficult being on the other side of the planet when the time came. Technology is an amazing thing, though. My mom found a vet that comes to the house and does the process there. I love that because then they don't have to go through the stress of going to the vet. It's as peaceful as possible. I was able to Skype with them at the time and I watched the whole thing. It was unbelievably painful to watch but I'm so glad I was able to. It was almost like I was there with my family and it gave me a sense of closure that I wouldn't have gotten otherwise. She was nearly 17 years old and was the best dog I could have asked for growing up. I guess with the loss of her I felt like there was a void I needed to fill and so I did that by adopting two animals when I got here lol. Of course they can never replace our sweet Mindy but it is nice to have my own pets to love and care for.

Other than that my school is absolutely awesome. I work for wonderful administrators, with amazing teachers, and great students. Of course nothing is perfect but I really don't have any REAL complaints here. I know I'm going to be really happy at ASFG (American School Foundation of Guadalajara). My Spanish is also coming along. I'm picking it up as I go. I took a few years back in school but my last Spanish class was over 10 years ago so it's definitely taking a while to come back to my brain haha. But I do have a much better chance of learning Spanish than I ever did of learning Vietnamese so that's exciting :) Grad school is also progressing. I'm two weeks away from being done with my second course of my program. It takes up most of my nights and weekends which kind of sucks but most of it is really applicable to my job so that's cool. And it's nice knowing that in a year and a half I can have my Masters degree. As annoying and tedious as it is I definitely think it's worth it and I'm glad I'm doing it now. If I waited too long I would probably never do it. I just need to keep my head down and get through it! "Just keep swimming."

Well, I guess that's enough for now. I'll write a final post about Vietnam at a later date, including my vacation with Mom and Dad and my departing thoughts of the country. I'll try to update more frequently now that I'm settling into my life here.

Finally, I will be home in Tampa for Christmas from December 23-January 3 so if you want to see me please let me know! I won't have a car (or be insured to drive) so you might have to pick me up but I'd love to see as many people as I can while I'm actually home for more than a few days! Ciao, everyone!

In Mazamitla, Mexico

 Maya and I at her graduation! Proud Mommy!

 horseback riding in Mazamitla

 Maya: Before and After :)

 The photo that made me fall in love with Laci

The world is still spinning....

What a whirlwind my life has been the last month. It's hard to even believe how much everything has changed. First I made the difficult decision to leave my job. That was hard enough. I was so torn and conflicted about it. Once I made the decision to leave I felt much better. At that point my plan was to go back to Florida and hopefully find a full-time teaching gig. Worst case scenario was being a substitute teacher. I was ok with that. I was happy with that. I was at peace with the whole thing. It was going to make things easier on my long distance relationship and it would be nice to be home again. Then my world crashed in around me and the long distance relationship came to an abrupt end. Once I accepted that as reality I thought about living in Florida again....and I started freaking out! What is there for me there?! I would be going back to the exact same life I had left to come here. Erik was the one difference from my previous life. With him gone there was nothing to go home to. With that, I began frantically looking for jobs anywhere. I applied to a job in China, Dubai, Colorado, Minnesota, 2 here, and one in Mexico. I didn't care where I went, as long as it wasn't Florida. Rather suddenly two jobs became known to me and before I knew it I had 2 interviews set up in one day. One was for a language school here in Saigon (2 blocks from my apartment) and one in Mexico. That morning I was offered the job at the language school and the Mexico interview went REALLY well. It lasted about an hour and a half and I got a REALLY good vibe from the principal. Two days went by and he asked if we could talk in Skype again. I assumed this was a second interview of sorts, so I was all nervous again. We got online and before I knew it he was emailing me a contract and saying "You got the job!" I couldn't believe it! The next day I told him I accepted and now my life is in upheaval again!

As far as grad school goes, I was in the process of finishing my first class when all of this drama hit the fan. That made focusing on my studies very difficult and it did suffer a bit. Now with this plan to move to Mexico I made the decision to take a break from the second summer course. It worked out well with financial aid and I was able to drop the course without losing any money. My first course finished this past weekend and now I have one less weight on my shoulders through all of this coming up. I'll start up again at the end of August.

So here is the current timeline: School finished July 13, my parents get here July 14, we have an epic Viet Nam vacation (Haoi, Sapa, Halong Bay, etc), leave Viet Nam July 26, get to Florida July 27, leave for Mexico July 31. Yea....talk about insanity! I'll be home for a whole 3 days! Just enough time to recover from the jet lag....If you want to see me during my 3 days at home keep in mind that I won't have a car and am not insured to drive in the states anymore so you might just have to come to me haha. This weekend I bought myself an iPhone (FINALLY) so when I get to the states I'll get a pre-paid SIM card which will give me unlimited talk and text for my time there. I'll post the phone number when I get it.

I still can't quite wrap my mind around everything that's happened lately. Things I was so sure of have vanished, and things I never thought would happen have. I've just been trying to roll with the punches and make the most of it all. I'm actually really looking forward to Mexico. I have a good feeling about it. I think I'm really going to find my place there and be happy. I will miss Viet Nam, though....Living here has been such an incredible learning experience and I know I will never be the same. I think everyone should live abroad for at least 6 moths. It really opens your eyes to the world and gives you a whole new appreciation for what you have. Traveling the world on vacations is great and it does change you but it is nowhere near the same as living somewhere. Going somewhere foreign and figuring out the laws, finding an apartment, finding where things are, learning how to drive in the traffic....those are the kinds of things that tourists can not learn and can not appreciate. It's just a whole new experience. Lord knows I'll never take America for granted again!

Well, I wasn't expecting to go on such a rant but I thought I'd put my thoughts down today while I'm home sick with bronchitis (ugh). I hope everyone is well! Looking forward to me brief visit home!

Tạm biệt, Vietnam....¡Hola, Mexico!

Well, none of the options mentioned in my last post have worked out. Instead I am on a completely new path in life. Last weekend I received a tip from my professor that a school in Guadalajara, Mexico was hiring a middle school/choir teacher and I should contact the principal. I sent him an email and arranged a Skype interview for Monday evening (my time). Saturday morning my realtor was showing my apartment to someone that works at POLY Language School here in town (a Korean-based school) and he told me they are hiring. I then emailed him my resume and scheduled an interview for Monday morning. Monday morning came, I went to the interview, and got offered the job. Monday night rolled around and the interview went REALLY well for Mexico. I told him I needed to hear something in a week (that's how long I had to give POLY an answer). He said that would be no problem. Long story short, I thought I had a second interview tonight....it turned out to be an offer! The money isn't quite as much as I was hoping for but it is certainly liveable (especially with the cost of living in Mexico). The school and the job itself sound perfect for me at this point. I'm really excited about this opportunity! Now the craziness ensues, though. I leave Vietnam July 26, arrive on July 27, and I'm supposed to report to the school on August 1. He said that he is willing to be flexible, due to my circumstances, but either way it is going to be a really crazy start. I guess I'm used to that, though. Coming here was just as crazy, I suppose. I didn't have much time at all to get settled before I started with students. At least I'll have a minimum of a week to work before students come. Well, it's been a loooong day and now it's time for bed. As of August I will be a gringo!

My how things change....

Well, it's been a while since my last post and things have certainly changed a bit. Not sure where exactly to start but here goes....

After a few months at my job I came to the conclusion that it is NOT the right job for me. For one thing, it made me realize that I do not have the personality to teach young children. I simply don't have the patience for it. Second, I chose a job that had no previous music program to speak of (which I knew) and no resources to use. My principal is willing to spend a decent amount of money on resources but they could take 6 months to get here. In the meantime I have been making it all up as I go. With everything, it has just been too overwhelming.

That, along with the incredible strain of a cross-world relationship, resulted in my decision to resign at the end of the school year and return to Florida. I gave my notice at the school and was at peace with the decision. I have been applying to the counties near home and I even booked my flight. The plan was to stop in NM for 2 weeks before heading home to Florida. Well, last weekend my cross-world relationship came to an end. I suppose I'm just not what he wanted. Yes, I have been heartbroken and in pain since then....but I know I will pick up and move forward, as always. Now with that factor removed I can't really stand the thought of going back to Florida. I would be going back to the EXACT same life that I came out here to get away from. What have I even accomplished since I've been here? Yes, I have been living in Vietnam for 6 months but....what else? Nothing!

With this new turn of events I have been re-evaluating everything I am doing. I'm back to having no ties to any location so I'm exploring all of my options. I have applied for a job in Beijing, Dubai, and Colorado. My coworker also gave me the idea to ask my principal about staying at my school and working in another capacity. I e-mailed him about it yesterday (he's in Hanoi on business) and he said he would love to keep me on board and we will talk tomorrow when he gets back about options. That might be my best option. That way I'm not breaking my contract, just changing jobs within the school, and getting experience teaching other subjects. That will make me more marketable down the road. I'm not decided that that is what I'll do because there are still other factors but it would be nice to stay here since I've settled in. I really do want to finish this experience. If I do stay I have no idea what my next step will be. I am applying to work for the Department of Defense school system for the 2013-2014 school year. That will give me the chance to work overseas on a military base. As for now, the next step is to talk to my principal tomorrow about options for staying here. I'm not ruling anything out at this point and I'm really trying to search myself for the answer. Only time will tell.....

New Leaf

after going to the pharmacy today (no make up lol)

right outside my building

the band at the bar on St. Patty's Day

ready to go out!

new skirt

Well, I've gotten my first illness. I had a bad sore throat at the end of last week. It felt a bit like strep so I took Thursday and Friday off and took some meds I brought from home. On Friday afternoon I took advantage of my day off to go to the bank (since it is only open from 8-5 Mon-Fri, which is when we have to be at work) to do some things and then it was a short walk to the Crescent Mall from there so I figured I'd do some shopping/walking around. I needed to get out of the house. I bought some workout clothes at the Nike store and I was shocked that they actually had three pairs of women's shoes in my size so I bought a pair. Since I threw out my sneakers at Tough Mudder I never got a new pair of running shoes so I was definitely due for some. Then I bought some other cute clothes (some for casual wear and some for work) before heading home. On Saturday I decided I NEEDED to join the gym here. I've only been here just under 2 months and I've put on maybe 10 pounds. I'm probably more self conscious of it than I should be but I hate it. On Saturday I got a 3 month membership. The gym is right downstairs and it's really nice. There is also a pool. On Saturday I worked out for about 2 hours: 40 mins cardio and lower body. Last night I met up with Kaye, her husband, and a bunch of their friends from New Zealand at the local bar for St. Patty's Day. It was fun. I had a few drinks and came home early since I've been sick. It was nice to get out for a bit, though. Today I woke up on 8:30 and went back to the gym: 20 mins cardio, upper body, and then swimming. I was there for over 2 hours. It felt great. Now I'm really hurting, though. I have decided that I am determined to work out a little bit every day. Mon-Fri I will either work out in the gym after work or swim laps and on Saturday and Sunday I will do both. I hope to be in excellent shape by the time I go to America to visit in July. These 10 pounds will be gone and I'll be fit and in shape. A year and a half ago I lost nearly 30 pounds by simply losing my apetite (heart break is a cruel thing). This time around I am going to lose the weight the right way and come home in the best shape of my life. Unfortunately since I went to the gym yesterday I have become extremely congested. I went to the pharmacy to get some things tonight so hopefully they work. I feel like I'm allergic to the gym. Each time I go I come back more congested than before. Regardless, I am going to go to the gym every day. Hopefully this congestion goes away in a few days. I'm not looking forward to work tomorrow, but oh well. Such is life. I suppose that's about it for this week. Take care all.

-Erica

I suppose it's about time for another post. I've been so busy I just haven't gotten a chance to update in a while. Well, I've been busy learning the music for next months concert (my school is onboard so I will be taking our choir!), completing my application to Kent State University, and the usual at work. My deputy principal was kind enough to arrange for my classes to be covered one day so that I could get some serious planning done. I was able to get a lot done that day but I still feel like I hardly made a dent. I think I am going to ask for another day this week to do the same. My principal has purchased the new Quaver's Marvelous World of Music DVD series (yay!) so I now have something to work with! Also, I think he has decided to purchase GamePlan (a comprehensive K-5 music curriculum from the US that I recommended) so eventually I will have that. The problem is is may take a few months to come....so I still have to figure something out for the meantime.

Here they celebrate International Women's Day on March 8 and I thought it was going to be like another Valentine's Day (which I hate) but it really wasn't. It was day for appreciating women and I actually enjoyed it. I felt valued and appreciated. I got a few flowers from students and the men at work arranged manis and pedis in the conference room during the day so that was really nice. I wish America celebrated Women's Day instead of Valentine's Day.

Let's see....what else? I had my apartment cleaned yesterday by a lady that works at the school and cleans several other teachers apartments. She came at 1 on Saturday (an hour earlier than I was expecting) and I had to leave. They don't like you to be home with they clean and if you come home early they'll stop right then and leave. So she said 3 hours and I went down to a shop downstairs and read. She charged me 125,000VND ($6). I was pretty thrilled. It's nice to have a clean apartment and I didn't have to do it! I'll probably have her come every other week.

I don't think there is much more to tell about this week.....I have completed my KSU application (except my Florida certification may take a while to process). Hopefully I'll be started class in May but the certification may mean I can't start until June. Either way, I can't wait to start classes!

Well, I need to get some dinner and get ready for work tomorrow (how does the weekend go by so fast?). I hope everyone is doing well! Oh, and apparently daylight savings time happened today? Well, Vietnam does not participate in daylight savings time so I am now 11 hours ahead of EST.

Erica

Ummmmmm.....wow.....

Wow. What a week. I suppose it is about time for an update. I can't even tell you everything that has happened this week but I will touch on the main points. On Monday they were filming a promotional TV documentary and I got to be the "conductor" of an imaginary "rock" band. It was chaos and we all probably look like fools but oh well! It was an interesting experience. Then I tried to meet with the choir during lunch periods. That did NOT work. The idea is that they eat for the first 15 minutes and then come to choir for the remaining 30. Most of the students didn't come to my room until about 10 minutes before lunch ended. I have since told the principal that it has to be an after school program. If he wants me to create a quality choir then it needs to be after school where I can have at least a solid 30 minutes of rehearsal. He was fine with that so hopefully that will make things easier. Also, my principal observed me this week. He observed me with Y6 and it went VERY well. The students were engaged and interested in the lesson and my principal was actually fascinated by that. He also learned something :) He will be observing me 2 or 3 more times coming up as part of my 2 month probation. Considering how the first observation went I think I'll be getting that permanent contract. It's hard to believe it's already been one whole month. I must say it has flown by.

Today I was sent an email by a contact of Dr. Robinson's. She asked if I would like to sing two solos and two duets in a concert next month. I will be accompanied by an orchestra and this will be broadcast on TV throughout Vietnam. WHAT?!?! I graciously accepted and I now have four songs to learn by April 20th and 21st. Wow! I am just flabbergasted! They have also invited my choir to participate. I will have to talk to my principal about this but I doubt he will refuse. It would be a great opportunity for the students to see a real concert and actually participate in the rehearsals and performance. I am still in shock about this offer. I never thought I would be a singer (more than in choirs) but this will be my big debut! It's a shame I'm so far and none of my friends and family can be there. I am hoping I can find somewhere to watch online, so hopefully you can see it (though if it is LIVE then you may have to get up really early in the morning hehe). I'm meeting with her tomorrow to talk about it further.

Another development: I have decided to begin working on my Masters degree. I am going to take advantage of my free nights and weekends and do something productive with my loneliness. I have decided on Kent State University's online Master of Music in Music Education program. It will take 20 months to complete. I begin classes in May and will graduate December 2013. I'm pretty excited about it, actually. I thought I wanted a long break from school but I'm already bored and I feel like I wasted a bunch of years on my undergrad and I want to make up for it. It will also keep me busy and make the time go by faster. I'm trying to make the most of this experience and I think earning an advanced degree would be a great accomplishment to come out of this with (aside from building up a program and choir and singing semi-professionally).

Ok, that's enough ramblings :) Night, all!

~Erica