Ok. It’s time. Correspondences are up and running once
again.
So now I have to figure out how to fill you in on the last
year in one blog post. I mean let’s face it, I don’t want to write a slew of
posts about the last year, and I’m quite sure you don’t want to read all that.
I’ll do a 10-point list. Everyone loves a good bullet-point
presentation right?!
Number 1: I came home. I was so shockingly homesick by the
time the plane touched down that I really did want to kiss the great American
soil. You’ll happily note that I refrained after seeing some of the shoes
walking on it. Instead I got behind the wheel of a car for the first time in 6
months, drove straight to a gas station and bought junk food labeled in
English. It’s kind of the same right?
Number 2: I came home. Ok so that first home-coming was to
Texas, where I grew up and where my parents are and where all of my worldly
possessions were etc . A month after that I came back to Durango. Again, I
wanted to kiss the beautiful Colorado soil but thought better of it and went
for some local beer instead. (Junk food in Texas…Beer in Colorado…It’s all like
kissing the soil really.)
Number 3: I found a job. Two actually. You do what you must.
When you touch ground with no more than a suit case, a backpack and your own
determination to survive, you can’t really be picky with your job choices.
Within the week I was working at the local bagel shop and answering phones at
an electric company.
Number 4: I found a bicycle. This may seem silly and not
like a legitimate point but when you are stranded to your own two feet it
becomes quickly apparent how big your little town really is. Two wheels are
better than none.
Number 5: I found a house. Yep, that’s right. I didn’t have
a home when I landed. I didn’t have a home, a car or a job. So my friend Shelby
and I found a house (which has turned out to be pretty…special. I can write you
a post about the house later. Just you wait.)
So brief recap: We are at bullet five and I have moved back
to the US and back to Colorado. I have two jobs, one bike and one house.
Number 6: I got a car. As great as two wheels are, many
would say that 4 are better. I agree, but much like the house, the car brought
with it its own little series of special misfortunes. Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy
not to be crammed like a sardine on a hot, sweaty bus. I’m happy to be able to
get out of town without navigating the Central American understanding (or lack
thereof) of time. I really am thankful to be on my own wheels again. No one
ever said though (and if they did I don’t care) that you can’t be happy and
still complain about a few little hiccups in your otherwise unobjectionable
life.
Number 7: I decided not to go to grad school. What? Yeah, I
was thinking about doing the whole grad school online thing. It’s not a bad
idea really. Not if you have something you are really passionate about and
enough money and/or monetary prospects to make it out without owing ‘the man’
for too long. So with that in mind I did some very simple math…oh who am I
kidding!? Honestly, I just decided I didn’t want to do it. Not now anyway.
Number 8: I met someone. I mean technically I met a lot of
people. I have become exponentially more outgoing since having to navigate life
in a foreign language. But the point here is that I met someone. It’s going well. Nuff said.
Number 9: I found a better job. I am now working as an
assistant to dental consultants. I am learning SO much. In fact, any doubts I
had about skipping out on the whole grad school thing have pretty much
completely dissipated at this point.
Number 10: I quit my other two jobs. Unless you have to,
which many do, I see no reason to have 3 jobs. I quit the electric company
first. I did find the other job in order to replace the inexplicably monotonous
job of answering maybe 5 phone calls a day. Then after about 3 more months of
one-day weekends I reclaimed my precious Saturdays and bid my farewell to the
Druango Bagel. Last Saturday was my last day there.
So that’s it. You’re caught up. I am back in Durango with a
job, a place to live, a car, a bike, a boyfriend, no grad school debt, and
weekends off. Sure my adventures may not be quite so grand or exotic as
visiting volcanoes but shame on me if I ever stop having adventures.
