I'm moving!

Didn't know I was leaving the country? Well, here's how it all went down. A year ago in April, one of my good friends, Missy and her husband, Jesse were visiting from Minneapolis. I had gone up to Seattle to meet them and one of my other good friends, Kristen. (Missy, Kristen and I had all lived in England together (and Emilee too!) our semester abroad in Oxford. That was in 2000 and we're all still really close.)

Missy and Jesse were telling us how they had decided they were ready for the next adventure in their married life, and wanted to spend the next year or so in a foreign country teaching English. On January 13, 2005 they moved to Japan where they're having the experience of their lives.

Our conversation in Seattle is where I first began to think this is something I might like to do. At this point I had been working as a secretary at my church for 3 1/2 years. When I took the job after college, I thought I would stay about a year.... but one thing you learn after college is how quickly years FLY by. I love my church, my co-workers (especially my department- Student Ministries: Steve, Lenny, Trina, Ryan & Kevin) but I felt ready for a new challenge, and finding out if I were any good at teaching english was very intriguing to me.

By early Fall 2004 I had decided this was definitely the direction I was headed. I planned on taking online courses to get my TEFL and leave late summer for somewhere in Europe, probably Eastern Europe.

At Christmas, Kristen was in town and we met for lunch. I began to tell her all about my plans to leave in Summer. Her face lit up as she shared with me her desire to do the same some day. (At this time she was on her own adventure, living for a year in Alaska working with native girls at a high school boarding school ... but she wasn't sure if she wanted to live there another year.)

We parted ways that day excited that this could actually happen! We could be in Europe together, teaching English. I knew this was a God-ordained conversation, and I was so excited at the thought of going with someone, especially someone I had already lived with and traveled europe with. How cool is that?

After Christmas I decided I would take my TEFL course abroad (versus on-line). In Prague, it's about a third of the cost as anywhere else I found (and if you've seen it cheaper somewhere, don't tell me!). I've never been to Prague but I 've only heard great things. Everyone seems to FREAK out when I tell them I'm moving, telling me how gorgeous and wonderful the city is.

Kristen decided she definitely wanted to do this, and the timing worked for us to go together! We both finished our applications and had our intimidating phone interviews... and got accepted to Prague Schools.

I have a plane ticket for August 3! The first month will be intensive training (this is where my anxiety dreams are coming from!) and after that, I'll find a job. Yes, I'm moving without a job in place. This seems to be the way it goes, and there are many jobs available... especially with the education I'll be getting.

So there it is... I hope everyone's still awake. I'm extremely excited and extremely nervous about this new venture. I know it's going to be a year of extremes (hard things and good things). A lot has fallen into place for this to happen (getting the opportunity to teach english to an Afghani family, my roommate getting married and forcing me home to save some cash, Kristen joining me...), and through my own fear, I know this is what God has for me.

Post a message and pretend you like me... it'd be great to hear from you too!