30 Days Already!

Hard to believe I left New York 30 days ago. Wow, did that go fast! I'm telling you the days fly here. Now I know why they have you make a 2 year commitment. It is way to much work for them to get everything into place for just one school year.

So in all my travels the longest I've been away from home was 3 weeks. Nope I never went away to college. In some ways I regretted that. And in some ways I sorta feel like this is what it would be like. You are assigned a place to live with furniture that isn't the greatest but livable. You are in a building with people from all the US and in this case the world, with different personalities that collide. (Yup, lil drama here too.) You have to find foods you like, call home on occasion or in times today Skype, get your backpack on and get to classes everyday at the same time, have nights on the town where you are walking home in a 'lighter mood' than when you got there, meeting new people constantly, and probably a bunch more comparisons.....you get the idea. 

Except in this case, we all get our own apartment, we all have jobs in the same field we did go to college for, everything is paid for, and we get paid a salary. 

I think I like this better. I'm glad I waited. :)

So how do I feel living abroad?  First, I can honestly say working abroad has been easier than living. The school is great. I absolutely love my students and its very similar to teaching in NY. I teach all the same subjects except SS is history of Morocco. While I'm not even close to an expert in this, I am excited about learning more about the culture as well. They use ubd planning, administer DRAs to form guided reading groups, have a little book room, science is the FOSS series, and math is another Harcourt book similar to one I've used before.

So the living part. It's really learning to live 'without' and changing your way of thinking. Yes, they have stuff but it's not the same. Yes, I know it wasn't going to be...but after a while you just miss things----or I should say---"I" miss getting into My car and Driving to a Starbucks or getting a nice salad at Whole Foods. Ah...I can't wait. 3 more months!

The language barrier is a Whole different level....definitely makes things harder for sure!!! I'm starting up my French lessons via computer this week! Arabic is incredibly difficult but I make small attempts. The woman who comes to clean my room at school everyday insists I speak to her in Arabic. She says the Same thing to me everyday. It's taken me a week to pronounce it, and she giggles when I repeat her...good lord, I must sound like a fool. She smiles because I try. :)

Part of the reason I did this was to experience living 'without all the comfort'. I am by no means rich, but have traveled enough to know I had a comfortable life.
Are the 'things' we have what help define us?
Of course not we all say.....but when you are living in Africa.....and your WHOLE way of life changes....your prospective changes as well. You feel like a fish out of water. Where is Cedar, Jones, Smiths beach? I miss you!!!!

An example comes to mind: Somehow ALL my earrings did not make it into the suitcases. (don't know how) It's just earrings right? Well not to me. I happen to be an accessory queen. I LOVE earrings. Even though my 2nd holes still had studs, my upper lobe ring was still there, and nose ring also in, I didn't have MY earrings to match my outfits. Sounds silly right? Well, I definitely felt uncomfortable the first few weeks. I tried to not think about it with so much else to worry about. It's JUST stupid earrings. Why did it bother me so much? Why did I feel naked? After 3 weeks I caved. I bought the biggest ones I could find and slipped those babies on right in the market. Ahhhh....I was Me again. Sorta.

There are a Lot of things these past 30 days that are different and will take some time to get adjusted to.
But these 30 days went fast!!!

And just as I knew back at age 30 that I wanted my degree because I did Not want to be 40 without it.
I Know that I did Not want to pass up the opportunity to teacher abroad because it will be 'different'.

I read or heard somewhere we do most of our spiritual growth when pushed outside our comfort zone.
I'm uncomfortable for sure. Did I grow yet? lol

Missing my nephews Luke and Brett like Crazy!!!! Missing all my friends too! And the comforts of working in an amazing school district back home....Yeah, Comsewogue!

But for now.....30 days will turn to 60.....then 90.....and I'm quite sure I will shift my mindset and hopefully fall into a groove with more ease. It has finally hit that this is Not a vacation.
Got a little teary these last few days......lots of reasons. Knew it would happen sooner or later. Surprised not sooner to be honest.

Marrakech is for sure a Very cool place! I still have so much to see and Very excited about it. So in a way, I'm glad I have the time to explore, to learn, to grow, and to be -Mindful in Morocco.

~Essauoira Beach