Just like Alice spent hours daydreaming, so do I. And apparently I'm not the only one who will be dreaming of a "different world". There are people around me who will be vicariously living through me as I embark on my journey to Brasilia. My world will be full of adventure, and hopefully more fun and less stressful than that in which I live currently. It won't be full of queens wanting to cut my head off at least (when I was a kid that part of the film scared me to death).
As I have increasingly been telling more and more people that I'm moving (including the dentist, who told me today that his unfriendly secretary is Brazilian....who knew? And of course, became much nicer once she learned I'm heading to Brazil), I'm actually surprised by the number of excited people out there. Honestly, I expected a lot more, "Why would you go there?" or "Is that a third world country?" or "Will you be safe?". I actually don't think I even heard any of these questions since I've sprung the news on people. One of my assistant principals did ask me today if I'm going to start up jiu jitsu. Um, no. But he's a nice guy and at least he knows a little something about Brazilian Jiu Jitsu so I'll excuse him for asking me if I'll be rolling around on the floor with guys trying to submit them.
For instance, as I have been telling my colleagues that I will be teaching in Brazil next year, I've noticed a number of interested teachers. I even gave out the name of the association that connected me with the school in Brasilia to one teacher seriously interested in teaching abroad. This reaction was very unexpected because I thought that people would question my desire to move abroad, not want to join me :). This was a pleasant surprise and I hope to "plant the seed" of international school teaching in the hearts of teachers that I know and/or work with.
Maybe it's the state of affairs in public school education today, or maybe it's the call of adventure that stirs the idea of teaching abroad in the hearts of professionals. I don't know. But whatever it is, I hope that it spreads. One of my co-workers, an Italian national and French teacher, told me that she'd loved to go back to Italy to teach, but with her American husband and son here, it's difficult. She told me she'll be vicariously living through me, and immediately asked for my personal e-mail address.
People have expressed their enthusiasm, and even jealousy, and have made comments that they wish they could take their families abroad so they could go and teach. Some have told me that they're also ready and if they could just convince their significant other to uproot, that they'd move. This I didn't expect. Another ESOL teacher told me that she doesn't have enough courage to up and move to South America, but that she's happy for me and wishes she could do the same (which she could because she already left the Islands to come to the U.S.). All of the support and excitement of those around me in response to my news makes me feel even more ecstatic about moving.
I am really not afraid of too much (besides getting my wisdom tooth pulled, apparently). I'm anxious for some real adventure, a change of scenery and lifestyle and even the challenges that along with moving to a new country. I mean, even though I realize that moving back to Brazil is going to have its ups and downs, I'm ready for it. We're both ready for it.
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