The hardest part, by far, of being here is not spending time in Presque Isle with my family. This is the first time in 15 years that I will not be going up north to the beautifully secluded Presque Isle Lake, but, fortunately, I will be able to return next summer when I am home for a few months.
I've said before that I define myself by the people in my life, friends and family, and the adventures we share. Reminiscing about past events, those being from years ago or escapades from the night before, have helped me become the person I am today. I have also said that I have to change my priorities and define myself by what I do with my life and who I encounter on these new adventures. I have been trying really hard to do this, and so far have been successful, but I also don't want to let go of what has gotten me here today.
In the first six weeks of being here, I have made friendships that will never be replaced or forgotten, I have seen things that some people have only seen on the Travel Channel or on the internet, I have taught in my own classroom for four weeks, have made connections with students that some only dream about in their methods classes, I have become even more independent in a new country where I barely speak the language, and I am so proud of myself.
On top of being a first year teacher, which is hard in and of itself, I am thousands of miles away from my family. The furthest I have ever been from them is two hours by car (my trip to London doesn't count because I was coming home in a week.) During my last year of college, when classes were overwhelming or I just wanted an escape, I would pack up the car with my laundry and my homework and head home for a couple nights. I was able to relax, turn off my brain for 48 hours, leave my phone in my bedroom, and be completely secluded from the stresses and responsibilities of methods classes and student teaching.
I don't have that luxury here. If I want to be by myself, I lock myself in my "apartment/dorm room," which will soon be surrounded by hormonal teenage girls 24/7. My second option is to go for a drive on my scooter and find a place to relax and read in the city, which so far has been a wonderful escape and I plan on continuing this during the regular school year whenever I can. There are amazing book stores here where people sit on the floor just to read a new book. The atmosphere is wonderful and the selection is mind-blowing so I can see this becoming a weekly escape.
In the next couple of days, the rest of our teachers will be returning from their trips and we will all be reunited again, everyone ready to exchange stories and inside jokes that were created on our different adventures. In less than a week, orientations and meetings commence with returning teachers- department meetings, time to lesson plan, house meetings, floor meetings, everything a teacher has to go through at the start of the new school year. I will have the privilege of being a part of two different departments- English and ESL/Student Services. I can't wait to see the differences between the two and use the strengths from both to progress into an even more helpful and well-rounded teacher for my students.
Every struggle that we face in life helps us become the person we are meant to be. Some of us go through different struggles at different times in our lives, or different struggles altogether, than the people sitting next to us. It's important to not let those hard events define who we are, but rather help guide us to be a better person who has a better, more well-rounded take on life. I have grown so much since moving to Taiwan, as an individual, as a friend, and as a teacher, and it's only been five weeks. I can't wait to see where my experiences take me in the next ten months.
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