Constance's Plans

I've been trying to figure out when exactly I decided that teach abroad was for me. I know that I've thought about it off and on through the years. I know that without a college degree that teaching was an impossibility and getting that degree was a roller coaster all its own. I know that at one point I wanted to be a teacher, then I went to high school and apparently I was all "no way is that ever happening" by the time I graduated.

What changed? What finally caused me to take the jump? I don't know. A combination of things for sure. Work has been... not my favorite. I was applying for other jobs, but that lead me to wondering what I really wanted to do and what job would fulfill that. I saw my sisters following wonderful new avenues and really putting themselves out there. They have found jobs and a life that seems almost tailor made to them. Not that's its been easy for them by any means, but I sometimes observe the way they talk about something or how they are telling a story and I can just see that in that moment they are content. I can say that I've never felt that way in or about any of my "grown-up" full-time jobs.

Other factors? Friends moving away, money, and age. You know the usual stuff that causes people to make crazy life changing choices on a whim. What it came down to for me and still does today is that I just feel/felt too safe. Don't ask me to break that down any more for you because  I don't think I can explain it any better. Everyone will read it a different way I'm sure, but I wanted needed to do something crazy, spontaneous and soul searching. It was a feeling that sort of snuck up on me. When I saw how hard Misha was working to move to NY against some pretty daunting odds and when I saw Rachel and Liz make their decisions, it dawned on me that I could make one of those decisions for myself. I've always loved loved loved to travel and had always felt more alive doing it. Why can't I do that for a job?

I was looking back in my email to see how early I'd written anything to anyone about teaching abroad. I found a funny exchange I'd had with my friend Jacob on December 6th, 2012 where we were signing random names to our emails. I found this paragraph at the end:

 I bought a groupon for a TEFL course to get my certification. Seriously thinking about teaching english abroad. What are your thoughts? My thinking is that I love kids and I think I'd be a good teacher. Maybe get some better direction in my life. I don't know. Whenever I think of doing it,  I get totally excited. We'll see how it goes.

Constance Eugene Foy Stancil

I guess if Constance can do it, I can do it too.