Goodbye Fort Worth, Hello......

The transition back from Thailand has not been easy and some days have been a bit overwhelming. The lifestyle in Thailand is very simplistic and laid back but the lifestyle in America is very fast paced and I always feel like I have things to do. I’ve been catching up on appointments that I missed the last year, balancing my social life, and trying to figure out what I want to do in the next season of my life.

After returning from Thailand, I knew I didn’t want to go back to the traditional classroom right away. I loved kids and teaching, but the thought of being tied down to a 7-5 teaching position was unappealing. I wanted adventure and I wanted to travel more. The thought of going back to Thailand or teaching abroad somewhere else crossed my mind but because of prior engagements between January and May, traveling abroad again soon wasn’t possible.

Before I even left Thailand, I spent many hours researching new career paths, updating my resume, and just trying to figure out what I wanted to do next. It was a bit scary, overwhelming, and I just felt lost during my job search. But after a few google searches, interviews, and a multitude of prayers, I FINALLY found a job that allowed me to teach and go on adventures!

So with that being said, goodbye Fort Worth… Hello Lake Tahoe!

During my google searches, I found an agency that matches teachers with families that have unique situations in which the child(ren) can’t attend traditional school. Most of the families in this agency travel too often to consistently be enrolled in a private or public school. I applied to the agency, then for a specific family, had multiple interviews and found the perfect fit!

At the beginning of January, I will be moving to Lake Tahoe, and I will be teaching a 3rd and 5th grade student who are competitive alpine skiers! I will be living with the family and will teach in the off hours when the children are not at practice or competitions. I will be the primary teacher and will deliver lessons I’ve created by following state standards and a curriculum.

I could not be more excited for this opportunity. This is such a unique opportunity and I know I will grow so much in my professional and personal life. I’m specifically excited to spend a season in the mountains (even though I’m horrible at skiing) and getting to experience such a different lifestyle than my own. This opportunity is something completely different than all my experience teaching and I think it will be so much fun! I haven't explored much of California other than LA so I can't wait to explore somewhere new!

When I was in Thailand, it was scary to come home without a plan. I remember spending many nights trying to figure out a plan and just praying that God would make it clear what I was supposed to do next. I would get overwhelmed and stressed just thinking about it, but God would continuously tell me, “I already have this next season planned out, but I don’t want to reveal it yet because then you will not rely on me as much.” I would remind myself of this because I knew that as soon as I had my plan figured out, I would be comfortable and not seeking Him in the ways I needed to be. I’m feeling so thankful and reminded that God is so faithful and already has every detail of our lives planned out even when we can’t see it.