Now, How Did We Get Here Again?

I don't think anyone will be surprised to know that I am having D-O-U-B-T-S about signing up for another year of teaching and living in Ecuador.

Part of the problem is me, I'm a chronic second guesser who always questions decisions I make. The other part of the problem is it's just that time of year, the crazy "school has got to let up soon or I will go bald pulling out all of my hair" time of year. Kids are starting to go wild because they can smell the three week vacation that is just around the corner, high school finals start tomorrow (exactly what is a middle school teacher doing writing a senior literature final? I have no idea what I'm doing here!), report cards are due soon, and I stupidly have assigned major projects/papers/presentations (the curse of the triple p) to be due this week.

Not to mention the weather...

Oh yes, the rainy season is almost upon us and we all know how well that went for me last year. By the end of February, the faint sound of a thunderclap would reduce me to tears.

For the past two weeks, I have repeatedly turned to Dave, a bewildered expression weighing on my normally cheerful face, and asked, "Now, how did we get here again? Why did we agree to stay?"

Today, I got my answer.

Dave had to have surgery on his knee this morning (an ecua-adventure worthy of its own post) due to a torn meniscus from all that crazy futbol playing. Throughout the day, we had friends--notice the plural form--call us at the clinic offering to translate for us, offering to sort out the billing for us, coming to pick us up after Dave's epidural finally wore off after five hours. People rearranged their day, stopped by after work, called to check in. We've had friends offer to make us dinner, to cover classes, to entertain my poor husband when his patience finally snaps at being cooped up for so long.

That's why we are staying here another year. Thanks for the reminder guys, I needed that.

Christmas in Colombia (The post is better late than never...)

As promised, here is the Amazing Richert Christmas Adventure 2008, with special guest star, Sherry Silvers. Bogota, Columbia. As you can see...this city and I were obviously made for each other. Bookstores, libraries, and coffee shops were on every block. Yes, the majority of the books were in Spanish which causes some slight difficulties, but I don't like to focus on those kind of details. I'm more of a cup half full kind of gal. Also, the city is bike crazy. There are hundreds of miles of bike lanes; we saw bike lanes throughout the city and even along the highway. They just created a bike/walking lane in the middle of the highway, incredible! They even close off some of the major streets every Sunday and holiday so people can ride their bikes through the main arteries of town without dealing with the potentially dangerous obstacle of cars. The city had me at hello. Dave found a wonderful place for us to stay that was right in the heart of the historic district of ...

Deep Breath

Okay--I only have about two more weeks until we are off to Iowa and possibly a whole new adventure. I find myself avoiding the very things I know I need to do; e-mail prospective schools, complete my portfolio, research the different cultures and societies. Instead, I am wasting as much time as possible by checking postsecrets.com, reading the various blogs I have suddenly become addicted to, and finishing up one of the many baby blankets I have to knit. And yet.... I really am optimistic about this possibility for D and me. I feel like no matter what happens, whether we go overseas or not, something wonderful is going to come out of this. Maybe it will give us the courage to go seek jobs and a life in Boston, Portland, or New York. Maybe it will give me the courage to find what I am really passionate about and go after it, knowing that where we are now, nice as it is, is not a glass box I have to spend the rest of my life in. I think whatever comes out of this exploration, will be goo...

Blog Bling--Featured Artist of the Week

I've mentioned before that I might be a bit addicted to the "widgets" of the blogsphere, but my new favorite has to be the playlist . First off, let me apologize to all who get annoyed when websites spontaneously start singing to you. Don't judge me--I can't help but be swept away with this sparkly little blog gem. I've decided to compromise with you, I won't put my playlist on automatic play if you agree to hit play just once during the week. Deal? Good. Now, on to the new "Living the Good Life" feature, the Artist of the Week. What else are blogs for if not to share absolutely every detail about your life and interests? That fact, along with the surprise of getting a few emails and comments about the artists featured the last couple of weeks, has inspired me to attempt a weekly post explaining the music featured on LTGL (thanks for the inspiration BSucio, and by inspiration I mean blatantly stealing your idea of actually writing a post...

Living The Good Life

Search This Blog