I ran into my boss at the printer yesterday as I was picking up some financial paperwork about the closing on my apartment. I told her about it and today she asked me if it was a good thing (most people just assume it is), and if it was the end of a chapter in my life. This made me realize that yes, it is most definitely the end of a chapter. She said that we all go through many chapters in life.
This last year was a crazy ride. I traveled around the US to Honolulu, New York City, Portland (ME), Minneapolis, Washington, D.C., and Chicago. I worked as an English teacher and tour guide at an international teenagers camp. I was a Spanish teacher and girls' soccer coach at a modern orthodox Jewish high school until last September when I quit to follow my dream of getting my masters in TESOL at Boston University, which I am finishing the last class for at the moment. I student taught and I worked as a substitute teacher and researcher this whole year at BU's English Language Program and enjoyed it immensely. I worked with many talented, experienced teachers and got to know ESL students from around the world, including a special group of teenage guys from Saudi Arabia. I biked to work and class almost every day. I ended a relationship, I reflected, I finally learned to look for love in myself and not someone else.
I sold my apartment. I'm selling all my furniture and getting rid of everything that I don't absolutely need. I helped start a weekend pick-up soccer group with friends and strangers. I volunteered at the Dance Complex and attended ballet and flamenco dance classes, pushing myself out of my comfort zone. I tried eating only raw food for a week. I did a lemonade diet. I saw my extended family for the first time in several years at a family reunion. I applied for a Fulbright Grant and didn't get it. I am applying again for next year. I had many great gatherings with my TESOL program classmates, including a Thanksgiving dinner with 19 guests in my 400sq ft condo. I tried "hot" vinyasa yoga with friends. I tried a kickboxing class and a Turkish language class at BU. I got a sailing & kayaking pass and have taken out several friends on the water. I've gone on "epic" bike rides along the Charles River with friends. I went salsa, samba and forro dancing. I've had dates with movies, food, and drinks. I read several books, text books and others about travel and adventure. I've volunteered at local festivals. I've met some great people. I've had a few friendships come and go, but best of all I've seen some endure the test of time and geography.
So some things are over, some things will never be the same. But some things endure, I find out more about relationships, who my friends are and who I am and what I want in life. I had all these experiences and hopefully, and most importantly, learned to be a better person from them.
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